Despite receiving hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding each year Harvard University faces intense scrutiny from the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform because of alleged civil rights law violations. Under leadership from Chairman James Comer and Chairwoman Elise M. Stefanik the Committee formally requested Harvard President Dr. Alan M. Garber supply thorough documentation and communications about the university’s policies and practices.
Harvard’s decision to decline a settlement proposal from the General Services Administration, along with the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services and Education, sent on April 11, 2025, triggered the investigation. The proposed settlement is intended to ensure Harvard University’s compliance with civil rights legislation.
Dr. Garber told the Harvard community in a public statement on April 14, 2025, that fulfilling these obligations would push the university to give up its independence or its constitutional rights. The Committee rejected their position in its letter and declared, “No matter how entitled your behavior is, you have no right to violate the law.”
Harvard University obtained $686 million in federal funding in fiscal year 2024, which made up about 68% of its total sponsored revenue, according to the Committee’s letter. Despite having a vast $53.2 billion endowment and generating $2.4 billion in revenue during the same fiscal year, the university received this funding. Harvard must follow civil rights laws, including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, because it receives substantial federal funding, and this Act disallows discrimination based on race, color, or national origin.
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Harvard dismissed the proposed settlement agreement that demanded multiple organizational changes including:
- Governance and Leadership Reforms: Including clear lines of authority, empowering tenured professors, and limiting the influence of individuals perceived as prioritizing activism over academics.
- Merit-Based Hiring and Admissions Reforms: Addressing alleged preferences based on race, color, sex, religion, or national origin.
- International Admissions Reforms: Focusing on the admittance of students whose views may be contrary to those of the United States, such as support for terrorism or antisemitism.
- Viewpoint Diversity in Admissions and Hiring: Including the abolishment of criteria that function as ideological litmus tests.
- Reforms to Programs with Records of Bias: Specifically mentioning antisemitism and the response to the October 7, 2023, terrorist attacks against Israel and subsequent campus protests.
- Discontinuation of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Programs: Including the dismantling of DEI offices, policies, and related restrictions on speech.
- Student Discipline Reforms: Emphasizing consistent and impartial application of policies and disallowing organizations that advocate for violence, anti-American views, terrorism, antisemitism, or other illegal activities.
- Whistleblower Protections: Ensuring procedures and safeguards for individuals reporting wrongdoing.
- Transparency and Monitoring: Regarding foreign gifts, cooperation with immigration officials, and the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVIS).
The Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism responded to Harvard’s settlement rejection by freezing $2.2 billion in grants and $60 million in contract values allocated to the university.
The Committee’s letter highlights Harvard’s discriminatory practices throughout history by mentioning both its quotas against Jewish students and its defense of race-sensitive admissions during a recent Supreme Court case.
The Committee expressed concerns about Harvard’s substantial foreign funding, which shows over $894 million received from foreign governments between 2014 and 2019, while surpassing $151 million from January 2020 to October 2024. The Committee brought attention to a study that found that foreign funding increases correlate with rising antisemitism at universities such as Harvard.
The Committee highlighted possible Title IX violations of the Education Amendments of 1972 alongside Title VI concerns through reports that show men competing in women’s athletic events and using women’s facilities at Harvard.
Harvard must submit its complete collection of documents and communications between January 1, 2023, and today to the Committee by May 1, 2025. The committee asked for every internal communication about the different reform areas defined in the settlement proposal. The Committee maintains the authority to conduct face-to-face interviews with Harvard staff members, including President Garber.
Harvard University now faces intensified federal examination of its adherence to civil rights laws. The university’s federal funding and future operational policies may face significant changes due to this outcome.
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