Harvard University, one of the nation’s wealthiest schools, on Monday joined the list of universities across the country imposing hiring freezes, citing the uncertainty created by President Trump’s threats to slash funding for higher education.
The move was announced in an email to the school community by Dr. Alan M. Garber, Harvard’s president.
The announcement comes three days after the Trump administration pulled $400 million in grants and contracts from Columbia University over accusations that the school had failed to protect Jewish students and faculty from antisemitism.
A number of other universities have announced hiring freezes or “chills” in the past month in response to potential policy changes of the Trump administration. But the step by Harvard, which has an endowment of more than $50 billion, illustrates the gravity of the situation facing higher education as the Trump administration continues its crusade against colleges and universities.
Harvard, like Columbia, is one of 10 schools the Trump administration identified last month as subject to review over accusations that it had not done enough to curb antisemitic behavior on campus during protests over the war in Gaza.
Campuses have been embroiled in debates over whether the protests against Israel constitute antisemitism. While many such demonstrations have been peaceful, some episodes with pro-Palestinian demonstrators and counterprotesters supporting Israel have deteriorated into violence. Many of the protesters themselves are Jewish, and activists, political leaders and university officials have debated what, precisely, constitutes antisemitism.
Issuing claims of antisemitism, which could violate federal law, is just one of the methods the Trump administration is trying in an effort to hobble funding of higher education.
Other methods include threatening to increase taxes on large university endowments, cutting overhead reimbursements for federal grants and promising to target schools that allow diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
Dr. Garber’s email, which was posted to the university’s website, did not mention Mr. Trump by name, but said that universities through the nation “face substantial financial uncertainties driven by rapidly shifting federal policies.”
”Effective immediately, Harvard will implement a temporary pause on staff and faculty hiring across the University,” the email said. It was also signed by other top members of Harvard’s administration.
The email emphasized that the hiring pause was temporary, but also asked the leadership of Harvard units to “scrutinize discretionary and nonsalary spending.”
