Harvard Faces Federal Funding Loss Over Civil Rights Violations

WASHINGTON — The Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Civil Rights announced Monday that it will refer Harvard University for action that may result in the loss of federal funding. This development follows allegations that Harvard violated civil rights laws by failing to adequately protect Jewish and Israeli students.

In an official release, the Office of Civil Rights stated it would send Harvard to the office responsible for decisions regarding suspension and debarment. Harvard has 20 days to respond regarding its right to an administrative hearing.

“OCR’s referral of Harvard for formal administrative proceedings reflects OCR’s commitment to safeguard both taxpayer investments and the broader public interest,” said Paula M. Stannard, director of the OCR. She emphasized that federal agencies are authorized to enforce Title VI compliance, which can result in terminating funding if voluntary compliance is not achieved.

In June, the government alleged that Harvard was “deliberately indifferent” and a “willful participant” in anti-Semitic harassment against Jewish students and staff. These accusations came after the university declined to meet demands from the previous Trump administration, leading to the cancellation of nearly $3 billion in federal funding.

Harvard’s spokesperson, Jason Newton, responded at the time, stating that the university recognizes antisemitism as a serious issue and has taken significant steps to combat it. “We remain committed to ensuring members of our Jewish and Israeli community are embraced and respected,” he asserted.

Following the June notice of violation, the HHS also referred its civil rights investigation to the Department of Justice, which has yet to file additional charges against Harvard.

This referral comes shortly after a federal judge ruled that the cancellation of federal funding by the Trump administration was unlawful, arguing that concerns about anti-Semitism were used as a pretext for broader attacks on the university.

In addition to funding cuts, the Trump administration also attempted to ban Harvard from hosting international students and threatened its accreditation.

Harvard officials did not immediately comment on Monday regarding the latest developments.