The White House has imposed heavy fines on several Ivy League schools

The White House is recently exerting strong pressure on multiple top universities, demanding they pay substantial fines for campus antisemitism, with Harvard University becoming a key target.

The White House has requested Harvard to pay hundreds of millions of dollars in fines, which is far higher than the $200 million settlement paid by Columbia University. If an agreement is reached, Harvard may need to make payments in installments over three years and accept a comprehensive review of its campus policies by the federal government.

Columbia University has already agreed to pay $221 million (including $200 million in civil penalties and $21 million in employment discrimination settlement) to regain federal research funding. The agreement includes provisions such as reforming student disciplinary procedures and adjusting Middle Eastern studies curriculum.

In addition to Harvard, Cornell University (funds frozen at $1 billion), Duke University, Northwestern University (funds frozen at $790 million), and Brown University are also listed as negotiation targets. The White House has clearly stated that it will use the freezing of funds as leverage to enforce policy changes.

The Trump administration cited Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, accusing universities of tolerating antisemitic behavior, while Harvard and other institutions have countered by citing academic freedom and the First Amendment of the Constitution, directly accusing the government of political retaliation.

Federal grants account for $2.2 billion (about 11%) of Harvard's annual budget. The government's threat to cut funding has already significantly affected the university's research projects and international admissions.

If Harvard refuses to compromise, it could face a complete freeze of federal funds, and even lose the qualification to issue international student visas. Several universities are forming joint working groups to respond, but analysts point out that some institutions may be forced to yield under financial pressure.

This incident marks an unprecedented level of intervention by the U.S. government in the field of higher education, and its outcome may reshape the boundaries between universities and federal authority.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1838694628074560/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author himself.