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Are Trump’s actions against Harvard changing your job, education plans?
How are the Trump administration's actions against Harvard University impacting your work or education? We want to hear from you.
The Trump administration has moved to terminate the federal government’s remaining federal contracts with Harvard University, the latest escalation in an ongoing feud between the university and the government.
In a draft letter sent to federal agencies on Tuesday, the U.S. General Services Administration directed federal agencies to terminate their contracts with Harvard or transfer them to different vendors.
By June 6, federal agencies must respond with a list of contract cancellations. Any contracts for critical services won’t be immediately canceled, but instead, would be transferred to other vendors, according to the letter.
The letter is the latest in a monthslong effort by the Trump administration to bring the university to its knees. The administration has frozen almost $3 billion in grants and contracts with Harvard in total, and has tried to bar the university from being able to enroll international students.
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In the fiscal year 2025, almost half (about 46%) of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health’s total budget came from federal funding for direct research costs, federal reimbursement of facilities, and administration expenses required to support that research. School officials warned that the freeze would have “a major impact” on their ability to conduct research – and could throw lives in jeopardy.
“Our partnership with the federal government has powered discoveries and solutions that have saved tens of millions of lives around the world,” the Chan School’s Dean Andrea Baccarelli said in a statement.
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International students at Harvard told Boston.com they feel they’re being “scapegoated and targeted” by the administration in the wake of Trump’s attempt to bar them from enrolling, and are waiting to see how their future plays out.
Others voiced concerns about the impact Trump’s attack on Harvard would have on Boston and Cambridge’s economic and cultural health – not to mention the booming biotech industries they foster.
“Like every Trump decision so far, this will have long-term negative economic and cultural results. Local tech employers will lose a valuable resource of new hires, and the diversity that Cambridge is known for will be lessened. This has nothing to do with antisemitism. It’s a malignant narcissist trying to gain control of an institution he despises and is jealous of,” reader Wayne M. from Brookfield said.
We want to know: Are you considering making a change to your career or education as a result of Trump’s actions against Harvard?
Will you change careers or leave the city/state altogether? Will you wait to see how everything plays out?
Tell us by filling out the form or e-mailing us at [email protected], and your response may appear in a future Boston.com article.
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