Sign up for the Today newsletter
Get everything you need to know to start your day, delivered right to your inbox every morning.
Harvard announces hiring freeze, citing federal policy changes
President Donald Trump has signed several executive orders that have alarmed universities across the nation.
Harvard University announced Monday it is putting a “temporary pause” on faculty and staff hiring amid changing federal policies, according to university officials.
In a letter sent from Harvard President Alan Garber to faculty and staff, it stated that each school within the university is currently reviewing its spending, but the college as a whole needs to prepare for “a wide range of financial circumstances.”
“Consequently, it is imperative to limit significant new long-term commitments that would increase our financial exposure and make further adjustments more disruptive,” Garber, and other administrators, wrote in the letter.
Advertisement:
President Donald Trump has signed orders, including freezing federal grants and ending diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, that have universities across the nation scrambling.
The Trump administration recently pulled $400 million in grants from Columbia University, which the administration cited as failing to protect its Jewish students from antisemitism and harassment during pro-Palestinian protests, according to The Boston Globe.
Previously:
Columbia famously began the nationwide movement last year of students protesting the war in Gaza by creating encampments on campus grounds, a move seen locally at Emerson College and Massachusetts Institute of Technology around the same time.
During his campaign, and more recently on social media, Trump also signaled his intention to crack down on universities that allowed “illegal” protests.
Advertisement:
On Saturday, a Palestinian Columbia graduate who played a large role in the university’s protests was arrested and told that Immigrations Customs Enforcement would revoke his permanent residency status in the U.S.
Harvard assured its staff in the letter that the pause is temporary to account for the ever-changing policies coming from the current administration. Additionally, the letter stated the university is “advocating” for higher education, including access to schools, academic freedom, and supporting research.
“Though current uncertainties touch every corner of the University and of higher education, we are confident that we will be able to address the present challenges together as we continue to pursue academic excellence in service to the nation and the world,” administrators wrote in the letter.
Sorry. This form is no longer available.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com