Harvard Faces Accreditation Risk, Subpoena Over Foreign Students

The Trump administration has intensified its pressure on Harvard University, warning that its accreditation status is at risk and issuing a subpoena to obtain information about its foreign students. The U.S. Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services notified the New England Commission of Higher Education that Harvard may have violated anti-discrimination laws and failed to meet accreditation standards due to anti-Semitic incidents on campus following the outbreak of the Israel-Palestine conflict.

The Department of Homeland Security separately announced that it would issue a subpoena because the university "repeatedly refused previous non-mandatory requests to submit information required for the certification of its student visitor and exchange programs." The agency is seeking "records, communications, and other documents related to the enforcement of immigration law since January 1, 2020."

These latest actions from the White House have cast a shadow over the negotiations between Harvard and federal officials aimed at resolving the stalemate. Previously, the U.S. government froze tens of billions of dollars in research funding, while the university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, sued the government. Trump had expressed optimism about reaching a short-term settlement last month, but according to an informed source, the relevant dialogue had stalled by the end of June.

Education Secretary Linda McMahon stated during a cabinet meeting on Tuesday that the government is in "difficult negotiations" with Harvard and Columbia University. She added, "I think we are close to reaching an agreement. The progress is not as fast as I had hoped, but we are making headway."

Harvard's spokesperson stated that while the government's subpoena is baseless, the university will continue to comply with legal requirements and obligations. The spokesperson also asserted that the government's actions constitute "harmful government overreach."

Harvard has vowed to protect its community and core principles against what it describes as the federal government's unfounded retaliation. The university's accrediting body, the New England Commission of Higher Education, acknowledged receiving a letter from the federal government outlining allegations of discrimination violations. The commission stated that it takes its role in any investigation of its member institutions seriously, ensuring appropriate oversight and action according to its policies and procedures.

Trump has also applied pressure on Columbia University's accreditation status. In early June, the Department of Education stated that the university no longer meets accreditation standards because its leadership allegedly ignored harassment faced by Jewish students. Columbia received a warning from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education that its accreditation status is "precarious," citing insufficient evidence that the university meets certain standards, such as fostering a respectful campus environment.

Accreditation allows institutions to receive federal student aid and assures students, faculty, and employers that the school provides quality education. While only accrediting bodies have the authority to revoke a school's key accreditation status, these commissions themselves could lose recognition from the Department of Education. In such a case, the universities overseen by the accrediting body would lose eligibility for federal student aid unless they join a compliant institution or the original accrediting body regains approval.

In seeking information about foreign students, the government claims that Harvard has failed to properly manage its campus, leading to a significant increase in crime rates. Trump launched a campaign to comprehensively reform the university's policies on admissions and faculty hiring, citing frequent anti-Semitic speech and violence on campuses nationwide.

The Department of Homeland Security Secretary requested information about foreign students, including disciplinary records, video footage of protests, and records of student illegal activities over the past five years. The government had previously attempted to block the university from enrolling international students, but Harvard won an initial injunction against the order.

Harvard has been a focal point in the conflict between the government and American universities. As the oldest and wealthiest university in the U.S., Harvard has become a primary target of Trump's ire for resisting government demands. The government has revoked over 24 billion dollars in research funding from Harvard and threatened to revoke its tax-exempt status. The university has also challenged the funding freeze in court.

An assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security stated that the government had initially tried to engage with Harvard in a conciliatory manner. However, due to the university's refusal to cooperate, the government was now forced to take a harder line.