College Budget Cuts

Many colleges across the United States, primarily the eight prestigious Ivy League schools, are being threatened with massive budget cuts of up to twelve billion dollars by the government. The administration has made several demands for policy changes at these universities, which include but are not limited to: Harvard, Princeton, Northwestern, University of California,  University of Pennsylvania, and George Washington university. Demands by the administration include punishing students who participate in student protests and removing DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) policies in the admission and hiring processes. If these demands are not met, the government has warned these universities that they will take away twelve billion dollars worth of funding. Since the federal government pays for most of the research done at these universities, this would substantially impact higher education. Other threats include revoking the universities’ privilege to accept foreign students and upping taxes. These threats were directed towards Harvard specifically. 

Harvard is the first school to resist the government’s demands. Alan Garber, Harvard’s current president, backed up this resistance by saying that it was not within the government’s right to dictate the teachings of private universities. Harvard also filed a lawsuit against the U.S. administration for suspending two billion dollars worth of funding. Harvard is not the only university standing up to these demands. Over two hundred college presidents signed a letter on April 22nd, which condemned the government’s endeavors within higher education. It is unclear what will happen next. Harvard is not the only school to file a lawsuit against the government. However the lawsuits play out, many colleges continue to fear financial decline.