March 9, 2025 — Columbia’s $400 Million Federal Funding Freeze—And What It Could Mean for Harvard

THE BIG IDEA: Columbia's $400 Million Federal Funding Freeze—And What It Could Mean for Harvard

On Friday, four federal agencies announced an immediate freeze of $400 million in grants and contracts with Columbia University "due to the school's continued inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students." This comes just days after these agencies—part of a federal Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism comprising the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), the Department of Education (ED), and others—began reviewing over $5 billion in active grants over a multi-year period to Columbia.

This decision follows the Task Force's announcement last week that it would visit 10 universities where it is "aware of allegations that the schools may have failed to protect Jewish students and faculty members from unlawful discrimination, in potential violation of federal law." Like Columbia, Harvard is on the list.

Harvard receives substantial federal R&D funding from HHS and ED: approximately $518 million directly and indirectly annually from HHS and $7.2 million from ED (not including student financial aid).

Many of Harvard Medical School's 12,000 faculty conduct research at HMS-affiliated institutions, which also rely heavily on HHS funding — notably Dana-Farber ($214 million in FY24) and MGH ($1.49 billion in FY24) — raising potential stakes significantly higher.

By rough approximation, this could mean that if similar actions were taken at Harvard and HMS affiliates, funding under review and at risk could exceed $2.2 billion annually.

Stand Columbia, an alumni newsletter similar to 1636 Forum, notes three points that stand out in the latest on the $400 million freeze:

— The announcement describes this as a "freeze" rather than something more permanent.

— Department of Education Secretary Linda McMahon had what was described as a "productive" meeting with Interim President Armstrong.

— Government officials have emphasized a one-month deadline.

We'll continue tracking developments at Columbia and other universities closely.

EVENTS:

— Cambridge, MA — March 10 from 12:20-1:20 p.m. ET: "HLS Beyond Presents: The Future of Classroom Speech" includes a workshop on the future of campus speech and the mission of the university with HLS professor Charles Nesson (AB '60, LLB '63). Register here.

— Virtual — March 11 from 12-1 p.m. ET: Oren Jacobson, CEO of Project Shema, will share insights from the organization's antisemitism education delivered to over 300 HBS staff members. Register here.

— Cambridge, MA — March 11 from 12:15-1:15 p.m. ET: The HLS International Human Rights Clinic is hosting a discussion with the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Gina Romero, HLS clinical professor Susan Farbstein, and HLS professor Gerald Neuman (AB '73, JD '80) about how international law understands the rights to peaceful assembly and association on university campuses. Details here.

— London, UK — March 14 from 6-8:30 p.m. GMT: Harvard alumni can meet new HKS Dean Jeremy Weinstein (PhD '03), share their concerns and perspectives, and reflect on the School's mission, values, and priorities. Register here.

— Mumbai, India — March 17 from 7-9 p.m. IST: At this event hosted by the Harvard Alumni Association in partnership with the Harvard Club of Bengaluru, Harvard Club of Chennai, Harvard Club of India (New Delhi), and Harvard Club of Mumbai, alumni can hear from President Alan Garber. Register here.

— New Delhi, India — March 20 from 7-9 p.m. IST: Like at the March 17 event, alumni can hear from President Alan Garber. Register here.

— San Francisco, CA — March 25 at 6 p.m. PT: To mark the 25th anniversary of the Radcliffe Institute, "Radcliffe on the Road: A Quarter Century of Interdisciplinary Exploration" will include Dean Tomiko Brown-Nagin and lightning talks on research. Register here.

FYIs:

FAS Updates Student Handbook Based on Classroom Social Compact Report

— On Tuesday, responding to recommendations from the FAS Classroom Social Compact Committee, the FAS faculty voted overwhelmingly to revise the Harvard College student handbook. The new policies explicitly prohibit grading based on political beliefs, instruct students to prioritize academics, and establish a classroom non-attribution policy (Chatham House Rule). Only one professor did not vote for the changes.

— The vote coincides with an op-ed published this week by Zoe Yu (AB '27) in The Crimson, highlighting how pre-professional clubs encourage freshmen to prioritize networking over attending classes, suggesting, "The great thing about Harvard is that you really don't have to go to class… You're really here for the connections."

FAS Must Prepare for 'Significant Financial Challenges'

— FAS Dean Hopi Hoekstra told faculty on Tuesday FAS must "prepare for significant financial challenges" and "build financial capacity" due to ongoing threats to Harvard's federal funding. She said the school must reduce costs and find new revenue streams, consistent with new university-wide budget guidance issued to all 13 Harvard schools earlier this year.

— Although FAS remains Harvard's wealthiest school, it faces a "structural deficit." In FY2024, expenses grew faster than revenues, driven by inflation and increased operational costs associated with a full return to pre-pandemic activities, according to the 2024 FAS Annual Report.

Mark Carney Steps Down From Harvard Board of Overseers

— This week, Mark Carney (AB '87) resigned from the Harvard Board of Overseers. Today, he was elected to become the new Prime Minister of Canada and the leader of its Liberal Party.

— Carney's departure means the candidate who places sixth in this spring's HAA Overseer election will complete Carney's term, which ends in 2027.

— Voting for the HAA election runs from April 1 through May 20.

Larry Summers Criticizes Harvard Corporation's Antisemitism Response; Robert Kraft Voices Support for Garber

— On Monday, former Harvard President Larry Summers (PhD '82) criticized the Harvard Corporation as "ineffectual" in addressing antisemitism on campus. Summers also claimed President Alan Garber has shown a "clear and strong personal moral commitment" but has "lacked the will and/or leverage to effect the necessary large scale change," though Summers told The Crimson he had "huge respect" for Garber.

— Summers highlighted concerns including the convocation speech by Divinity School Dean Marla Frederick, which he described as containing antisemitic statements, and Professor Derek Penslar's role as co-chair of Harvard's antisemitism task force despite his affiliation with the "antisemitic" Center for Middle Eastern Studies at Harvard. The task force has yet to release its findings.

— On February 28, Robert Kraft (MBA '65) said he believes Garber is "personally is committed to eradicating antisemitism from this campus," during his keynote speech at the annual HBS Shabbat Dinner.

Harvard Employee Tears Down Israeli Hostage Posters in Harvard Yard

— On Monday, during a "Harvard Out of Occupied Palestine" protest, a Harvard employee—wearing the badge of a cataloguer at Radcliffe Institute's Schlesinger Library—tore down a poster depicting the Bibas children, two Israeli hostages whose remains Hamas returned to Israel in a February exchange.

— A video shared by Harvard Chabad shows the employee removing the poster and then continuing through Harvard Yard, chanting with protesters: "Resistance is justified when people are occupied."

— Harvard has confirmed that the individual in the video is an employee of the university.

HJAA Launches Monthly Newsletter, Interviews Willing Overseer Candidates

— The Harvard Jewish Alumni Alliance has started a monthly newsletter. Subscribe here.

— The first edition noted that the HJAA governance committee is conducting interviews with Harvard Board of Overseer candidates. HJAA says it has interviewed Michael Rosenblatt (MD '73), Nat Keohane (PhD '01), and Lanhee Chen (AB '99, AM '04, JD '07, PhD '09).

— Overseer candidate Mary Louise Kelly (AB '93) "states a meeting is not possible given a conflict of interest with her work as a journalist for NPR."

— Overseer candidates "Mark Edwards and Anjali Sud refuse to respond to any requests from HJAA. If anyone is able to contact them or people who may know them to communicate the importance of their being inclusive of the Jewish alumni community, your efforts are appreciated."

— The newsletter notes, "The antisemitic activity at Philips [sic] Exeter under Mark Edwards leadership has been especially concerning."

More News at Harvard:

— The Crimson: "Harvard Poised To Eliminate Option To Take Gen Ed, QRD Courses Pass-Fail"

— The Crimson: "Harvard, Graduate Student Union Clash Over Bargaining Observation"

— The Crimson: "Harvard Students Walk Out of Class To Protest Time Caps for Academic Workers"

— The Crimson: "At First Major Rally of the Semester, HOOP Protests Israeli Tanks in West Bank"

— The Crimson: "Nancy Mace Touts Bipartisanship, Warms To Harvard Students in IOP Visit"

— The Crimson: "Campus Rabbi, Muslim Chaplain Share Lessons on Resilience"

— Harvard Gazette: "Sense of isolation, loss amid Gaza war sparks quest to make all feel welcome: Nim Ravid works to end polarization on campus, in multicultural democracies"

— The Crimson: "Activists March a Mile To Protest Former Israeli Prime Minister's Speech at HBS"

— ADL: "Harvard University 2025 Report Card — Grade: C"

— The Crimson: "Should Harvard Admit More Rich Kids? Actually, No" — op-ed by Katie Martin (AB '28)

— The Crimson: "Conservative Faculty Need Affirmative Action" — op-ed by Government professor Harvey Mansfield (AB '53, PhD '61)

— The Crimson: "Bring Jury Duty to Harvard" — op-ed by Ian Moore (AB '26)

— The Boston Globe: "NIH needs reforms, but use a scalpel, not a hatchet" — op-ed by former HMS dean Jeffrey Flier and MIT professor Pierre Azoulay

More News Beyond Harvard:

— The Chronicle of Higher Education: "Universities Must Reject Creeping Politicization"

— The Free Press: "Deborah Lipstadt: Why I Won't Teach at Columbia" — op-ed by former U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism

— The Stanford Daily: "Summers protesters proved the need for the very course they shut down" — op-ed by Stanford undergraduate Zachary Gottlieb

— Call Me Back - with Dan Senor (podcast): "Bonus Episode: Are ANY colleges confronting the madness? - With Andrew Martin & Santa Ono" — podcast live recorded with the presidents of WashU and Michigan at the ADL Never is Now summit with Dan Senor (MBA '01)