Trump ramps up fight with Harvard with threat to its accreditation, potentially jeopardizing its student aid
Share this @internewscast.com

The Trump administration has intensified its conflict with Harvard University, with federal agencies notifying the New England Commission of Higher Education that the Ivy League school might no longer fulfill accreditation standards due to breaches of federal antidiscrimination regulations.

The Department of Education and Department of Health and Human Services issued a letter to NECHE on Wednesday, indicating that it must collaborate with Harvard to address these violations or revoke the 388-year-old institution’s accreditation.

“Harvard has been — and is — deliberately indifferent to the severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive harassment of Jewish and Israeli students by its own students and faculty,” stated Paula M. Stannard, Director of the HHS Office of Civil Rights, in the letter.


Photo of Donald Trump at a press conference.
Federal agencies under President Trump have written to Harvard University’s accreditor, saying it should lose its status due to violations of federal antidiscrimination laws. AFP via Getty Images

“By allowing antisemitic harassment and discrimination to persist unchecked on its campus, Harvard University has failed in its obligation to students, educators, and American taxpayers,” said Secretary of Education Linda McMahon.

In addition to signaling that an institution of higher learning meets certain quality and integrity standards, accreditation “is required for institutions to receive federal financial aid, including student loans and grants,” according to NECHE.

“When an institution — no matter how prestigious — abandons its mission and fails to protect its students, it forfeits the legitimacy that accreditation is designed to uphold,” HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said.

The missive follows a shot across the bow fired last month by Trump’s Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism, which warned Harvard president Alan Garber that the university was in violation of federal civil rights laws over campus antisemitism and that its federal funding was at risk.

“Failure to institute adequate changes immediately will result in the loss of all federal financial resources and continue to affect Harvard’s relationship with the federal government,” the June 30 letter said.

The letter was accompanied by a 57-page report by HHS detailing its findings resulting from 50 “listening sessions” held with Jewish Harvard students, which the agency alleges constitutes a “pattern of unlawful and unchecked discrimination” at the university.

After the letter was sent, the Commission put out a fact sheet explaining how the accreditation process works, noting that the federal government cannot actually force it to withdraw a university’s accreditation.

“The Commission’s policies and procedures, in accord with federal regulation, give institutions up to four years to come into compliance when found by the Commission to be out of compliance, which can be extended for good cause. Institutions in a non-compliance status remain accredited during this period of time,” The Hill reported.


Harvard University campus buildings.
The Cambridge, Mass.-based Ivy League has been engaged in a monthslong battle with Trump over antisemitism on campus. IBRESTER – stock.adobe.com

In a statement to The Post, a Harvard spokesman said the university has “taken substantive, proactive steps to address the root causes of antisemitism in its community,” highlighting the sharing of its recent Antisemitism and Anti-Israel Bias Report, as well as “strengthened policies, disciplined those who violate them, encouraged civil discourse, and promoted open, respectful dialogue,” the statement read.

“Harvard has made significant strides to combat bigotry, hate and bias. We are not alone in confronting this challenge and recognize that this work is ongoing. “

Last month, the DOE sent a similar letter to the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, an accrediting institution that Columbia University belongs to, saying it, too, should lose its accreditation over its failure to contain antisemitism on its campus in Manhattan’s Morningside Heights neighborhood.

The Trump administration also slapped Harvard with a subpoena Wednesday as part of its probe into the school’s foreign student exchange program — with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem claiming the institution has “allowed foreign students to abuse their visa privileges and advocate for violence and terrorism on campus.”

Trump had said he wants to curtail its admission of international students, which the Wall Street Journal estimates could cost the school $90 million a year in lost tuition.

A federal judge issued a temporary injunction on the ban last month, which the administration has vowed to appeal.

The administration has also yanked some $3.2 billion in federal contracts and grants from Harvard, and pulled around $700 million in federal research funds.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Previously deported illegal immigrant allegedly kills man in hit-and-run after returning to US: DHS

Previously Deported Immigrant Accused in Fatal Hit-and-Run After Reentering U.S.: DHS Reports

The Department of Homeland Security has reported a tragic incident involving an…
Charlotte teen arrested 111 times in 2 years still walking free in soft-on-crime blue city: police

Charlotte Teen’s 111 Arrests: A Startling Tale of Crime and Consequence in a Lenient City

In Charlotte, North Carolina, the community grapples with the troubling case of…
Marcia Carty granted period to improve skills amid complaints

Marcia Carty Given Opportunity to Enhance Skills Following Public Concerns

Marcia Carty’s employment agreement stipulates a 30-day period for her to address…
Patrick Warburton likes to embarrass his family at Disney's 'Soarin'' attraction

Patrick Warburton Playfully Embraces Family Fun at Disney’s ‘Soarin” Attraction

LOS ANGELES — Fans of the iconic “Soarin’” attraction will be thrilled…
Blue Jays beat Mariners in Game 7 of ALCS, now face Dodgers in World Series

Blue Jays Triumph Over Mariners in ALCS Finale, Set to Face Dodgers in World Series Showdown

The Toronto Blue Jays triumphed over the Seattle Mariners, clinching a 4-3…
New video purportedly shows Louvre thieves in action during brazen daytime heist

Newly Released Footage Allegedly Captures Louvre Thieves Executing Daring Daytime Heist

Recently, fresh video footage has surfaced, potentially capturing the culprits behind the…
Illegal immigrant allegedly causes fatal semi-truck crash on highway, killing driver: officials

Tragic Highway Collision: Unauthorized Immigrant Implicated in Fatal Semi-Truck Crash, Driver Deceased

An undocumented immigrant in Indiana has been detained following his alleged involvement…
Palatka student arrested for written death threats

Palatka Student Faces Arrest Over Alleged Threatening Messages

A 12-year-old from Palatka Junior-Senior High School is now facing serious legal…
'Golden Bachelor' exclusive clip: Can Cindy get the answers she needs to move forward with Mel?

Exclusive Clip from ‘Golden Bachelor’: Will Cindy Find the Clarity She Needs to Progress with Mel?

This week on “The Golden Bachelor,” the excitement heightens as Mel embarks…
Jasper Nathaniel Shares Harrowing Attack by Israeli Settlers

Jasper Nathaniel Recounts Disturbing Encounter with Israeli Settlers: A Firsthand Account

An American journalist recently endured a harrowing attack by Israeli settlers while…
Trump nominates new Army vice chief with current general just two years into the role

President Trump Appoints New Army Vice Chief, Replacing Current General After Just Two Years

In a move attracting attention in Washington, President Donald Trump has put…
Man who planned to shoot up Atlanta's airport is arrested in a terminal following a tip, police say

Swift Police Action Thwarts Potential Atlanta Airport Shooting After Crucial Tip-Off

ATLANTA — A man was apprehended at Atlanta’s bustling airport on Monday…