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The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Monday that it is investigating whether Harvard University and the Harvard Law Review breached civil rights laws when the editors expedited the review of an article authored by a member of a racial minority.
This development emerged shortly after a federal judge agreed to fast-track Harvard’s legal action aimed at preventing the Trump administration from withholding more than $2 billion in federal grant funding, a move the university argues could jeopardize crucial medical and scientific research.
The investigation announcement by the U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services indicated that the editors of the Harvard Law Review may have engaged in “race-based discrimination,” potentially violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
“The selection process for articles at Harvard Law Review seemingly determines outcomes based on race rather than merit, creating a system where the scholar’s race may be as important, if not more so, than the value of the submission,” stated Craig Trainor, acting assistant secretary for civil rights at the Education Department.
A spokesperson for Harvard University affirmed the institution’s dedication to complying with all relevant laws and pledged to examine any serious allegations of wrongdoing.
No immediate response from law review
The Harvard Law Review, an independent student-run organization, has yet to respond to inquiries requesting comment on the investigation.
In a hearing held in Boston, U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs scheduled a further hearing for July 21 after Harvard expressed concerns that the impending funding cuts could severely impact its research initiatives.
This hearing marked the judge’s first since Harvard initiated legal proceedings, rejecting the administration’s alleged illegal demands for oversight on faculty hiring and educational content, as noted by the president of the university.
Among the administration’s demands were proposals for the university to modify its governance structure, adjust hiring and admissions to ensure a diversity of ideological views, and discontinue specific academic programs.
While Harvard remains committed to addressing antisemitism, the university asserts that the administration’s expansive requests infringe upon the First Amendment rights related to free speech.
Instead of seeking a temporary injunction to halt the funding freeze until the legal battles are resolved, Harvard has decided to address the core issues in the case directly, a request similarly made by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Rocky relations between universities and the Trump administration
Harvard, along with other educational institutions, has experienced the threat of federal funding cuts from the administration due to their responses to pro-Palestinian protests regarding the ongoing Gaza conflict that caused unrest on campuses last year.
The administration has also targeted universities over their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and policies regarding transgender individuals.
Since assuming office, Trump has taken a stringent approach towards DEI programs intended to support historically marginalized communities, arguing that these initiatives discriminate against groups such as white individuals and men.
In late March, the Trump administration announced it would conduct a review of approximately $9 billion in grants and contracts awarded to Harvard, citing the university’s alleged failure to safeguard Jewish students against antisemitic behavior during protests.
Following this announcement, the administration has frozen over $2 billion in funding, signaled intentions to revoke the university’s tax-exempt status, taken steps that could affect its ability to enroll international students, and demanded detailed information regarding the institution’s overseas ties, funding sources, students, and faculty members.
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