On Monday, the Trump administration announced the findings of an investigation into Harvard University, alleging that the institution violated the federally protected civil rights of Jewish and Israeli students.
A letter addressed to Harvard’s president, Alan Garber, from the civil rights office of the Department of Health and Human Services described instances where Jewish students experienced “severe, pervasive and objectively offensive harassment” in the aftermath of the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
The investigation identified what the administration characterized as a “pattern of unlawful and unchecked discrimination” within the oldest university in the United States.
According to the findings, Harvard’s response to the reported harassment fell short of required standards, constituting a violation of Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
The civil rights office articulated that Harvard’s handling of the situation was akin to “deliberate indifference.” Paula Stannard, the director of the office, stated that Harvard’s public commitments to revise its disciplinary procedures for harassment were insufficient to adequately address the serious concerns raised in the investigation, as noted in a statement.
Specific allegations cited in the findings included “targeted harassment” against Jewish students, as well as what the investigation deemed an “institutional acceptance of antisemitism.”
The letter further remarked that Harvard’s reaction to previous notifications regarding the investigation was “too little, too late.”
The civil rights office indicated that, should Harvard fail to demonstrate voluntary compliance, they would escalate the matter to the Department of Justice, which could potentially result in a federal civil lawsuit against the university.
In its response, Harvard asserted that it has taken “substantive, proactive steps” to combat antisemitism on its campus.
“Harvard is far from indifferent on this issue and strongly disagrees with the government’s findings,” the university expressed in a statement to Finance Newso.
Harvard emphasized its progress in addressing bigotry, hate, and bias and acknowledged the broader challenge that persists in society.
This investigation marks the latest development in an ongoing legal and policy feud between the Trump administration and Harvard, the nation’s wealthiest university.
In May, the administration made headlines by announcing the termination of the remainder of its federal grants to Harvard, an action that followed an earlier grant freeze totaling over $2 billion.
Harvard is among several prestigious institutions that the Trump administration has scrutinized for alleged civil rights violations. In May, a similar notice of violation was issued to Columbia University.
While Harvard has engaged in limited discussions with the Trump administration, talks have stalled after the White House insisted on federal oversight concerning the university’s admissions and personnel decisions.
Earlier this month, President Donald Trump claimed that the administration had been “working closely with Harvard” and suggested that a significant agreement might be forthcoming. He characterized the ongoing negotiations as “extremely appropriate” and expressed that if a settlement were reached, it would be “mindbogglingly” historic for the country, a statement shared on social media on June 20.
At that time, Harvard opted not to comment on the president’s statements.
