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Since he returned to the White House, President Donald Trump has launched an all-out war against American universities, targeting institutions over their diversity, equity and inclusion programs and cracking down on free speech on campus.
To force universities to comply with its directives, the Trump administration has suspended grants, frozen federal funding and revoked student visas. It’s a “pressure campaign” that, according to Ali Velshi, has largely proved successful.
On Sunday’s “Velshi,” the MSNBC host rattled off some recent examples of high-profile institutions capitulating to Trump. Late last month, Columbia University, which faced accusations of antisemitism after pro-Palestinian protests on campus, settled a civil rights claim with the government and agreed to pay a $200 million fine.
Shortly after that announcement, the University of Pennsylvania agreed to limit the participation of transgender people in its athletic programs. Brown University announced a similar agreement, banning transgender women from participating in women’s sports. The school also agreed to dismantle its DEI programs.
But, Velshi said, not all colleges are simply bowing down to the Trump administration, referring to Trump’s “ongoing” battle with Harvard University.
While the MSNBC host noted that “the university has already acquiesced to some of the White House’s demands,” he highlighted new reporting that signaled Harvard doesn’t appear close to backing down.
On Thursday, nine Harvard faculty members addressed a letter to school leadership, outlining values they want protected in any negotiations with the Trump administration. Velshi summarized the group’s red lines as follows:
First, that the government not be given control over who leads the university or any of its departments. Second, that Harvard protect hiring and [admissions] decisions and not share internal Harvard information with the government outside of what is legally required. Third, that Harvard reject external monitoring and not share data with the government about affiliates’ political viewpoints. Fourth, that the content of classes and programs be decided by professors and entities within Harvard. And lastly, that if any financial settlement is reached, the funds are allocated transparently and not ‘to patronage slush funds.’
Velshi said that what caught his attention about the letter was that it showed the professors weren’t “falling into a trap,” because they avoided “a lot of the issues that people are talking about, right or wrong.” Instead, they focused on “the structure of academic freedom and what it needs to look like at a university of Harvard’s stature,” he said.
“You’re not taking any side of any argument, other than the fact that the university should make the university’s decisions,” Velshi said.
After the release of the letter, The Harvard Crimson reported that the university’s president, Alan M. Garber, had told faculty that a deal with the Trump administration was not imminent, according to three faculty members familiar with the matter. Garber also denied reporting that the university is considering a $500 million settlement with the government.
As the Crimson further noted, it seems Garber “favors resolving the dispute with the White House through the courts rather than a financial settlement,” Velshi said.
You can watch Velshi’s take on Harvard’s latest moves in the clip at the top of the page.