NEW YORK: Over 170 university, college and scholarly society presidents published a joint statement on Tuesday opposing the Trump administration’s treatment of higher education institutions, coming together to speak out after Harvard University said the administration was threatening its independence.

The statement, signed by presidents from such institutions as Princeton, Brown, Harvard, the University of Hawaii and Connecticut State Community College, criticised what it described as “the unprecedented government overreach and political interference now endangering American higher education.”

“We are open to constructive reform and do not oppose legitimate government oversight,” the statement said. “However, we must oppose undue government intrusion in the lives of those who learn, live, and work on our campuses.”

Tuesday’s joint statement is the latest show of resistance from US higher education leaders as the Trump administration seeks to leverage its financial heft to overhaul academia.

Harvard University sues Republican president for slashing billions in research funding

According to White House spokesperson Harrison Fields’ statement at that time, Trump wants to ensure taxpayer dollars do not support racial discrimination or racially motivated violence.

Harvard sues Trump

Harvard University sued on Monday to block US President Donald Trump from freezing billions of dollars in federal funding after the elite research institution rejected a list of White House demands that it said would undermine its independence.

The lawsuit filed in federal court in Boston said Trump has launched a broad attack on funding for cutting-edge research at major universities as he seeks to rid them of what he describes as antisemitism and ideological bias.

“This case involves the Government’s efforts to use the withholding of federal funding as leverage to gain control of academic decision-making at Harvard, the lawsuit said.

Harvard alleges the Trump administration’s actions were arbitrary and unlawful and violated the university’s First Amendment rights to free speech.

On April 15 over 60 past and present college and university presidents signed an open letter saying they “strongly support” Harvard President Alan Garber’s rejection of the administration’s demands.

White House spokesperson Harrison Fields said in a statement that the “gravy train of federal assistance” to institutions like Harvard was coming to an end.

“Taxpayer funds are a privilege, and Harvard fails to meet the basic conditions required to access that privilege,” Fields said.

Since his January inauguration, Trump has cracked down on top US universities, saying they mishandled last year’s pro-Palestinian protests and allowed antisemitism to fester on campuses.

But protesters, including some Jewish groups, say their criticism of Israel’s military actions in Gaza is wrongly conflated with antisemitism.

Published in Dawn, April 23rd, 2025