Harvard University Fights Back Against US Government's Actions

On April 18 local time, the US government stated that it had asked Harvard University to provide records of foreign funds and some foreign relationships over the past decade.

The US Department of Education sent a letter to the president of Harvard University, stating that the information disclosed by Harvard from 2014 to 2019 was "incomplete and inaccurate". Some analysts said that this was the latest escalated action by the US government against Harvard University.

After the US government threatened to revoke Harvard University's tax - exempt status, this world - leading institution of higher learning countered. It warned that such an action would endanger its ability to fulfill its mission and threaten US higher education.

"There is no legal basis for revoking Harvard University's tax - exempt status," said a spokesperson in a statement. The spokesperson also said that such an action would damage Harvard's academic research efforts and its ability to provide financial aid to students, and warned that it would "have serious consequences for the future of US higher education".

On the 14th, Harvard University rejected the US government's request for major reforms in its management structure, recruitment, and admission policies. The US government immediately announced a freeze on about $2.26 billion in federal funds for the school. On the 15th, the government issued another threat to revoke Harvard's tax - exempt status and demanded an apology from the school.

Previously, on the 7th, Harvard University issued a statement saying that the school had begun to formulate contingency plans to deal with "a series of financial situations", including "assessing the resources needed to advance its academic and research priorities". Harvard intended to issue up to $750 million in taxable bonds. At the end of the 2024 fiscal year, Harvard's outstanding debt was $7.1 billion. After issuing new bonds, the school's estimated debt would reach about $8.2 billion.

Other top US universities under warning are also trying to find ways to deal with the federal government's threat of withholding funds. After Princeton University disclosed last week that the US government had frozen dozens of research grants to the school, on April 1st, it announced that it was considering selling about $320 million in taxable bonds later this month. Columbia University had about $400 million in federal grants revoked in March. To get the government to agree to negotiate the restoration of the grants, the school agreed to implement some major reforms as required by the government.