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Harvard University announced on Monday that it rejects demands from the Trump administration to alter its governance, admissions and hiring practices and how it deals with antisemitism.
“Harvard remains open to dialogue about what the university has done, and is planning to do, to improve the experience of every member of its community,” two attorneys representing the school wrote in a letter, adding that the school “is not prepared to agree to demands that go beyond the lawful authority of this or any administration.”
The administration threatened to freeze federal funding of up to nine billion dollars if its demands were not met.
"We have informed the administration through our legal counsel that we will not accept their proposed agreement. The University will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights," University President Alan Garber said.
In his letter posted on the university's website, he said the federal government made unprecedented demands to control Harvard. "They include requirements to 'audit' the viewpoints of our student body, faculty, staff, and to 'reduce the power' of certain students, faculty, and administrators targeted because of their ideological views."
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Regarding the administration's demand to fight antisemitism on campus, the president of the university said, "Although some of the demands outlined by the government are aimed at combating antisemitism, the majority represent direct governmental regulation of the 'intellectual conditions' at Harvard."
He went on to say that Harvard has made it clear that it does not take lightly its moral duty to fight antisemitism and that over the past 15 months, much has been done to address it.
Garber also said in his letter that the Trump administration had exceeded the authority of the federal government and violated Harvard’s First Amendment rights. "No government—regardless of which party is in power—should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue."