He reportedly told Harvard University President Alan M. Garber, faculty members said they needed to rethink their messaging after the Republican Party won the election.
Garber reportedly described the bad mood in Washington, D.C., regarding higher education as the single biggest threat to the university in recent memory Harvard Crimson reported.
During a closed session of the College of Arts and Sciences on Dec. 3, according to three anonymous faculty members, Garber said that since becoming president, he has met with about 40 members of Congress during his six trips to Washington. He reportedly acknowledged that there were “bipartisan frustrations with Harvard and admitted that he believed the criticisms contained elements of truth,” according to the Crimson.
Garber saw last month's election results as an “anti-elite repudiation by American voters,” and said Harvard “should listen to public criticism with compassion and humility,” the Crimson reported.
Harvard University President Alan Garber at Harvard's 363rd Commencement on May 29, 2014 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. (Paul Marotta/Getty Images)
He admitted that Harvard's communications strategy had not worked as well as its leaders originally thought. However, Garber did not provide details about how Harvard might adjust its messaging in the future.
The Crimson reported, “Garber's conciliatory tone suggests he intends to take a diplomatic approach—rather than a defiant one—as he interacts with the incoming presidential administration that has Harvard in its crosshairs.”
Harvard University spokesman Jason A. Newton, details about the meeting, but he said so Fox News Digital “The university will continue to work in Washington and with federal leaders to make the case for government-university partnerships that support students, vital research and innovation that fuel economic growth, as well as improvements in health and well-being,” a statement said. “.
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At the meeting, Vice President for Public Affairs and Communications Paul Andrew reportedly detailed what he believes are the major legislative threats facing Harvard, including the endowment tax, congressional investigations and threats to federal research funding.
Trump Nominated by Harmeet K. Dhillon to lead the Justice Department's civil rights division this week, but given its outspoken stance against Ivy League schools' failure to combat anti-Semitism, schools like Harvard are cautious about the administration's potential policies.
Harvard University was one of many institutions plagued by anti-Semitism on campus. (Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images)
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In addition, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, Trump's pick to lead the National Institutes of Health, is considering linking a university's likelihood of receiving research grants to a rating or measure of academic freedom on campus. The Wall Street Journal reported.
For the second year in a row, Harvard University ranked lowest Among 251 colleges and universities for a climate of free expression, according to the survey conducted by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE).
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Garber replaced former Harvard President Claudine Guy after she was forced to resign in January 2024 following a weeks-long scandal over comments about anti-Semitism at a congressional hearing and Allegations of plagiarism are widespread.
