No new grants for Harvard, Education Secretary says

Harvard University has a tax-free endowment of $53.2 billion, which is larger than the gross domestic product of 100 countries, and it gets billions of taxpayer dollars each year. But instead of using those monies "to advance the education of its students," it engages "in a systemic pattern of violating federal law," according to Linda McMahon, the Education Secretary.

"Where do many of these ‘students’ come from, who are they, how do they get into Harvard, or even into the country, and why is there so much hate?" McMahon wrote to Alan Garber, the Harvard president, on Monday. "The biggest question of all is, why will Harvard not give straightforward answers to the American public?"

The secretary charged that Harvard "has made a mockery of this country’s higher education system" and invited foreign students, "who engage in violent behavior and show contempt for the United States," onto campus.

"This letter is to inform you that Harvard should no longer seek grants from the federal government, since none will be provided," she wrote. "Harvard will cease to be a publicly funded institution and can instead operate as a privately funded institution, drawing on its colossal endowment and raising money from its large base of wealthy alumni."

"Today’s letter marks the end of new grants for the university," she said.

The Republican Jewish Coalition stated that "the days of failing to protect Jewish students on campus without consequences are over."

© JNS