The decision comes as Harvard’s president recently said the university will not alter its principles to comply with demands from the Trump administration.
Eight federal agencies are terminating roughly $450 million in grants to Harvard University in addition to the $2.2 billion that was terminated previously, the Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism said in a May 13 statement published by the Department of Education.
“Harvard University has repeatedly failed to confront the pervasive race discrimination and anti-Semitic harassment plaguing its campus,” the statement said.
“Jewish students were subjected to pervasive insults, physical assault, and intimidation, with no meaningful response from Harvard’s leadership.”
In one incident, a protester who faced criminal charges for allegedly assaulting a Jewish student on campus was granted a $65,000 fellowship by the Harvard Law Review, an influential student-run journal, the task force said, adding that the fellowship was meant to “serve the public interest.”
“The decision was reviewed and approved by a faculty committee, demonstrating just how radical Harvard has become,” it said.
“Harvard’s campus, once a symbol of academic prestige, has become a breeding ground for virtue signaling and discrimination.”
By “prioritizing appeasement over accountability, institutional leaders have forfeited the school’s claim to taxpayer support,” the task force said.
As such, the agencies have decided to terminate $450 million in grants.
The Epoch Times has reached out to Harvard for comment on the latest cut in grant money.
The task force was formed in February pursuant to President Donald Trump’s executive order to combat anti-Semitism. The group aims to “root out anti-Semitic harassment in schools and on college campuses.”
The decision to cut $450 million in funding follows Harvard President Alan M. Garber’s letter on May 12 to the Education Department directed at Secretary of Education Linda E. McMahon.
It was written in response to a May 5 letter from McMahon that accused Harvard of “engaging in a systemic pattern of violating federal law,” along with alleging several ongoing issues, such as political bias on campus and the admissions process not being based on merit.
The Trump administration had proposed a series of “common sense” reforms such as ensuring merit-based admissions and hiring, ending programs promoting “crude identity stereotypes,” disciplinary reforms, cooperation with law enforcement, and reporting compliance with federal agencies such as the Education Department and the Department of Homeland Security, McMahon said.
“The Administration’s priorities have not changed and today’s letter marks the end of new grants for the University,” the May 5 letter said.
“Harvard should no longer seek GRANTS from the federal government, since none will be provided.”
