[By Guancha Observer Network, Shao Yun]

Following the cutting of billions in funds and the cancellation of its privilege to enroll international students, U.S. President Donald Trump has taken another measure against Harvard University. On May 27 local time, The New York Times disclosed that the Trump administration plans to require all federal agencies to cancel the remaining federal contracts with Harvard, which are valued at approximately $100 million.

The report stated that a government official revealed that the letter was drafted by the General Services Administration (GSA) and is expected to be delivered to various federal agencies on the morning of the 27th local time.

According to the content of the letter obtained by The New York Times, the GSA requires federal agencies to review all contracts signed with Harvard and its affiliated institutions to decide whether to terminate or transfer their execution to others. The letter states that the GSA "recommends" that all contracts "not meeting standards" be terminated under the convenience termination clause; for projects still necessary but which can be provided by other contractors, the GSA "encourages" agencies to prioritize finding alternatives.

The GSA requires that agencies submit written reports by June 6 explaining their decisions regarding each contract. If certain contracts cannot be immediately terminated, reasons must be provided, and senior procurement officials must personally sign off on them.

The letter the GSA plans to send to federal agencies in the United States, The New York Times

According to the anonymous official mentioned earlier, this action will affect about nine federal agency contracts with Harvard. These include a nearly $50,000 project from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) aimed at studying the effects of coffee consumption, as well as a $25,800 contract for senior management training from the Department of Homeland Security. The report adds that some of the contracts under review may have already been halted due to Trump's related measures.

This official pointed out that this move represents a "complete severance" of the long-standing business relationship between the U.S. federal government and Harvard. The New York Times commented that this letter is the latest example of the Trump administration's determination to weaken Harvard's financial health and global influence to make it submit.

According to statistics from The New York Times, since Harvard refused the Trump administration's demands to reform its management structure, recruitment, and admission policies in April, the Trump administration has cumulatively frozen approximately $3.2 billion in federal grants and contract funds for Harvard. Additionally, the Trump administration has threatened to consider revoking Harvard's tax-exempt status.

Last Thursday (May 22), the Department of Homeland Security further announced the cancellation of Harvard's qualification for the Student and Exchange Visitor Program. This means that Harvard can no longer enroll international students, and foreign non-graduating students currently studying at Harvard must transfer schools, otherwise they will lose their legal status.

The international student program is an important source of funding for Harvard. Some educational experts pointed out that international students pay 1.5 times or more tuition than local students. Currently, Harvard enrolls nearly 6,800 international students and scholars from over 140 countries and regions. Most of these students are pursuing graduate studies. By the fall semester of 2023, international students accounted for more than 27% of the total number of Harvard students.

Currently, the "ban order" was temporarily halted by a U.S. federal judge, with the validity lasting until the next hearing on the 29th. On the 26th, Trump posted again on his self-created social platform Truth Social, threatening to cut $3 billion in funding for Harvard and distribute it to vocational schools across the country if Harvard does not submit a list of foreign students.

However, due to the lack of details provided by Trump, some U.S. media outlets analyzed that the $3 billion might just refer to the current frozen amount of funds for Harvard, and Trump's post was intended to continue pressuring Harvard.

The Trump administration accused Harvard of not doing enough to combat anti-Semitism and reform its hiring and admission systems, which Harvard strongly denied and has filed two lawsuits against the Trump administration. Harvard accused the Trump administration of being a "blatant violation" of the U.S. Constitution and federal laws, and retaliating against Harvard for refusing to submit to White House political demands.

Public opinion holds that Trump's series of measures after returning to the White House, including various pressures on Harvard, will gradually weaken America's soft power and accelerate the talent "brain drain" already evident in American education and research circles. Lawrence Summers, former U.S. Treasury Secretary and 27th president of Harvard University, honorary president of Harvard, said on the 23rd that in the long run, Trump's actions will cause a "devastating blow" to American higher education and even the national image.

This article is an exclusive contribution by the Guancha Observer Network and cannot be reprinted without permission.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7509140341224882700/

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