April 4 (UPI) — Harvard University must eliminate its diversity, equity and inclusion program and ban masked protesters from campus demonstrations, if the school wants to keep its federal funding, the White House confirmed.
The university received a letter earlier in the week from the White House, demanding “immediate cooperation” and that it “make meaningful governance reforms” in order to continue receiving millions of dollars in federal funding, The Harvard Crimson reported.
Earlier this week, President Donald Trump’s Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism said it was launching an investigation into potential anti-Semitism on Harvard’s campus.
The Education Department is now reviewing $255.6 million in federal contracts with Harvard and over $8.7 billion in multi-year grants handed to the university and its affiliates.
Acting general counsel at the Department of Education Thomas Wheeler was one of three people to sign the letter sent to Harvard, as well as Health and Human Services Department acting general counsel Sean Keveney and Federal Acquisition Service Commissioner Josh Gruenbaum.
“Below, you will find several broad, non-exhaustive areas of reform that the government views as necessary for Harvard to implement to remain a responsible recipient of federal taxpayer dollars. We look forward to a meaningful dialogue focused on lasting, structural reforms at Harvard,” the letter states, according to The Hill, which obtained a copy.
The Trump administration formed the anti-Semitism taskforce in late February to look at 10 U.S. colleges and universities. It was first announced earlier that month with a “first priority” of addressing harassment on college campuses.
Education Department Secretary Linda McMahon has previously accused Harvard of a “failure to protect students on campus from anti-Semitic discrimination.”
This week’s letter from the White House also demands the institution enact more rules on protests on campus, reform leadership and hold student groups more accountable.
Harvard President Alan Garber penned a response at the end of March to the White House threats to suspend funding.
“The government has informed us that they are considering this action because they are concerned that the university has not fulfilled its obligations to curb and combat antisemitic harassment,” Garber wrote in the open letter on the university’s website.
“I have experienced antisemitism directly, even while serving as president, and I know how damaging it can be to a student who has come to learn and make friends at a college or university.
“We still have much work to do. We will engage with members of the federal government’s task force to combat antisemitism to ensure that they have a full account of the work we have done and the actions we will take going forward to combat antisemitism.”
