Former US President Barack Obama praised Harvard University what he has told as “Ham-Handed attempt Academic freedom“$ 2.2 billion in grant after Trump administration and $ 60 million in contracts on the university’s refusal to follow new federal instructions.
Obama said on the X on Tuesday on Tuesday, “Harvard set an example for other high-aid institutions-to reject an illegal and haem-hand effort to prevent adaptation, while all students in Harvard can take concrete steps to ensure that intellectual investigation, rigorous debate, and mutual respect can benefit.”
Harvard implemented funding freeze to implement a series of demands set in the direction of April 3, including its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) offices destroying, recruiting and admission police and assisting in immigration screening for international students. The Joint Task Force to combat the anti-Jewish anti-Jewish, which suspended funds, argued that universities were required to maintain civil rights and use taxpayer funds to ensure this.
In a letter on 11 April, federal officials accused Harvard of violating civil rights laws and ideological bias, demanding extensive reforms by August 2025. “Harvard has failed to meet the terms of intellectual and civil rights, justifying federal investment in recent years,” read in the letter.
Harvard President Alan Garber rejected the ultimatum. Garber said in a public statement, “There is no government in which party is in power – it should be decided what private universities can teach, which they can accept and hire, and what studies and checks they can do.” “The university will not surrender its freedom or discard its constitutional rights.”
Garber’s comment was echoed by Professor Nicolas Bowy of Harvard Law School, who called the demands “nothing less than the ruling”, “he is violating the first amendment rights of universities and faculty.”
The conflict occurred amid growing tension in American premises following pro -Palestinian protests on Israel’s military action in Gaza. The Department of Education is currently investigating 60 universities on anti-Jewish incidents, and Republican leaders, including Donald Trump, have accused some student groups of aligning with the terrorist group, Hamas, behind the 7 October attack on Israel.
While Harvard stood on its land, Columbia University complied with similar mandate, grant of $ 400 million after failing to curb the anti-Jewish incidents during recent protests. Colombia has since reorganized its disciplinary processes and increased the safety of the premises.
Despite reporting a £ 45 million surplus at £ 6.5 billion in revenue last year, Harvard has stated that federal funds should not be used as an ignition to reopen educational values. Representative Elis Stephanic, a Republican, New York, appreciated the freeze, accused elite universities of promoting “a disturbed mental mentality”.
Meanwhile, the immigration enforcement action has intensified against the supporter-Filistini workers in Columbia, in which exile proceedings have been initiated against student leaders Mahmud Khalil and Mohsin Mahdavi.
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