The Trump administration has intensified its campaign against Harvard University by imposing new financial restrictions on the Ivy League institution. Citing concerns about the university’s “financial position,” the Department of Education has placed Harvard on “heightened cash monitoring” status. This means Harvard must now use its own funds to disburse federal student aid before being reimbursed by the government, a reversal of the typical practice. The administration’s actions are part of a broader effort to leverage federal funding to influence university policies on various issues, including pro-Palestinian protests, race-conscious admissions, and diversity programs.
Key Actions and Related Events
- Heightened Cash Monitoring: The Department of Education’s decision requires Harvard to front federal aid money to its students, with the government reimbursing the university later. The department also wants Harvard to provide a $36 million letter of credit to guarantee its financial obligations.
- Non-Compliance Warnings: The administration has stated that Harvard is at risk of losing all federal student aid if it does not comply with records requests from the Office of Civil Rights. This office is investigating whether the university still considers race in its admissions process, despite the 2023 Supreme Court ruling against affirmative action.
- Previous Settlements: The administration has previously reached financial settlements with other universities, including Columbia University and Brown University, over similar issues.
- UCLA’s Response: The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), which has also been targeted by the administration, has implemented new protest rules that restrict unauthorized encampments and ban masks during demonstrations. These measures are a response to a campaign that the University of California system has called one of the “gravest threats in the institution’s history.”
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