Over 12,000 alumni and 5 Ivies throw legal support behind Harvard in high-stakes battle against Trump

Over 12,000 Harvard alumni and 24 universities, including five Ivy League schools, have stood behind Harvard University in its legal fight against the Trump administration, which has threatened to cut billions of dollars in grants, as per a report.

Ivies and Top Institutions Join Harvard in Legal Fight Against Trump Administration

According to NBC News, Princeton, Yale, Dartmouth, Brown, and the University of Pennsylvania joined other institutions in filing an amicus brief supporting Harvard, arguing that the administration’s move to freeze over $2.2 billion in multiyear grants and $60 million in contracts would not only hurt one university but undermine the foundation of American scientific research and economic competitiveness.

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Harvard Alumni Call Government Actions “Reckless and Unlawful”

Alongside these institutions, 12,041 Harvard alumni, including comedian Conan O’Brien, author Margaret Atwood, and Senator Tim Kaine, a separate brief, calling the government’s actions “reckless and unlawful,” way to gain control over the school and other higher education institutions, as per NBC News.

The alumni wrote in the brief that, “The escalating campaign against Harvard threatens the very foundation of who we are as a nation,” as quoted in the report. As per the brief, “We embrace our responsibility to stand up for our freedoms and values, to safeguard liberty and democracy, and to serve as bulwarks against these threats to the safety and well-being of all,” quoted NBC News.

According to the report, these institutions explained that the partnership between the government and academia has driven critical advancements, like 'The Human Genome Project' or 'Covid-19 vaccine'. So that would mean that funding cuts to even one school can hamper the research projects at other institutions, as per NBC News.

The brief pointed out that, “The work cannot continue at individual sites; MIT cannot use machine learning to uncover patterns, for example, without data from Princeton and Harvard,” quoted NBC News. It also highlighted that, “These cuts to research funding risk a future where the next pathbreaking innovation — whether it is a cure for cancer or Alzheimer’s, a military technology, or the next Internet — is discovered beyond our shores, if at all,” as quoted in the report.

Push for Summary Judgment

The Harvard alumni filed their brief because they support the institution’s motion for a summary judgement submitted last week, and if granted, the summary judgement would allow the court to decide the case without a full trial, reported NBC News.

FAQs

Why is Harvard suing the Trump administration?
Because the administration threatened to cut billions in federal funding unless Harvard agreed to certain demands, including auditing student viewpoints.

Why are other universities worried?
Because many research projects are interconnected. A cut to one school’s funding can affect progress at many others.