US escalates scrutiny of Harvard with debarment move, funding in jeopardy

Harvard has 20 days to appeal the decision, but it could totally lose access to research grants, student aid and government contracts if the HHS debarment is upheld

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has referred Harvard University for administrative suspension and debarment proceedings. The move could bar the Ivy League school from receiving any federal funding, including research grants, student aid, and government contracts. Harvard has 20 days to request a hearing before an administrative law judge to appeal the decision.

 

If the debarment is successful, it would deal a significant financial blow to the university, following the Trump administration’s previous freeze of over $2.6 billion in federal funding. 

 

The action forms part of the administration’s ongoing pressure campaign against elite universities, citing what it considers insufficient action against campus antisemitism and ‘radical left’ ideologies. This is the first time the Trump administration has threatened Harvard with a total suspension of federal funding.

 

The referral follows the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) findings that Harvard acted with “deliberate indifference” towards allegations of antisemitism on campus. In July, the US Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) referred Harvard to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for stricter enforcement, after attempts to secure voluntary compliance reportedly failed. OCR Director Paula Stannard said the move “reflects OCR’s commitment to safeguard both taxpayer investments and the broader public interest”. HHS and the DOJ said they had “engaged in extensive communications” with the university in what officials described as unsuccessful efforts to ensure compliance with federal investigations.

 

The latest action escalates tensions between Harvard and the administration, which have been involved in multiple legal and regulatory disputes. In September, a federal judge ruled that the earlier suspension of $46 million in federal grants to Harvard was unlawful. The administration has said it intends to appeal the ruling.

 

Harvard is also facing separate investigations by the Education Department, which alleges the university failed to provide documents and data related to potential racial discrimination in admissions. A debarment could have wide-ranging consequences, potentially preventing students from accessing federal financial aid, loans, and prestigious fellowships such as Fulbright or Harry S Truman scholarships. 

 

Harvard University, located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, has not responded yet. Previously, the university has stated that it is committed to combating discrimination.

 

The administration has accused universities of permitting displays of antisemitism during pro-Palestinian protests. Protesters, including some Jewish groups, argue that their criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza and its occupation of Palestinian territories should not be labelled antisemitism, and that their advocacy for Palestinian rights should not be equated with extremism.