CAMBRIDGE, MA – In a significant show of support, twenty-four universities, including five Ivy League institutions, and more than 12,000 alumni have rallied behind Harvard University in its legal battle against the Trump administration’s threat to cut billions in grants.
Immediate Impact
On Monday, Princeton, Yale, Dartmouth, Brown, and the University of Pennsylvania, alongside several other schools, filed an amicus brief supporting Harvard. They argued that a funding freeze would not only affect Harvard but also impede American innovation due to the interconnected nature of scientific research.
Simultaneously, a group of 12,041 Harvard alumni submitted a separate brief, condemning the potential withholding of funds as a “reckless and unlawful” attempt to exert control over higher education institutions.
“The escalating campaign against Harvard threatens the very foundation of who we are as a nation,” the alumni stated. “We embrace our responsibility to stand up for our freedoms and values.”
Key Details Emerge
The amicus briefs aim to offer the court expert insights, although the schools and individuals involved are not parties in the lawsuit. The filings follow Harvard’s rejection of the government’s list of demands in April, which included auditing student viewpoints to address antisemitism on campus.
In response to threats of freezing $2.2 billion in multiyear grants and $60 million in contract value, Harvard filed a lawsuit against the administration. The universities’ brief included other prominent institutions like Georgetown, Johns Hopkins, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Industry Response
The universities emphasized the historical partnership between the government and academia, citing critical advancements like the Human Genome Project and the Covid-19 vaccine as results of such collaborations. They warned that funding cuts could jeopardize research at multiple institutions.
“The work cannot continue at individual sites; MIT cannot use machine learning to uncover patterns without data from Princeton and Harvard,” the brief asserted.
By the Numbers
- 24 universities filed support briefs
- 12,041 Harvard alumni involved
- Threats to freeze $2.2 billion in grants
- $60 million in contract value at risk
What Comes Next
Harvard’s alumni brief supports the school’s motion for a summary judgment, which, if granted, would allow the court to decide the case without a full trial. Notable alumni such as Conan O’Brien, Margaret E. Atwood, and Senator Tim Kaine have voiced their support.
The alumni also criticized the administration’s antisemitism concerns as a pretext for punitive measures against Harvard, emphasizing that such charges should not be used without due process.
Expert Analysis
Sally Kornbluth, president of MIT, highlighted the importance of a legal argument against the funding cuts in a letter to the community. “Although the value to the public of federally funded university research feels obvious to us at MIT, we felt compelled to make the case for its countless benefits to the court and, in effect, to the American people,” Kornbluth stated.
Background Context
The legal support comes amid ongoing tensions between the administration and Harvard University. The school recently sued the administration following a proclamation denying visas for foreign students attending the institution.
The alumni argued that the administration’s demands on Harvard have little to do with combating antisemitism, instead stifling the engagement and research that foster community understanding and innovation.
“These cuts to research funding risk a future where the next pathbreaking innovation — whether it is a cure for cancer or Alzheimer’s, a military technology, or the next Internet — is discovered beyond our shores, if at all,” the brief warned.
The unfolding legal battle highlights the broader implications for academia and research in the United States, as institutions and alumni continue to defend educational freedoms and innovation.
