As fears over losing federal funding heighten, Harvard University is taking action.
The Ivy League school announced a temporary pause on staff and faculty hiring. The news came in a letter signed by university leadership, including President Alan Garber and Provost John Manning.
"We need to prepare for a wide range of financial circumstances, and strategic adjustments will take time to identify and implement," the leadership wrote. "It is imperative to limit significant new long-term commitments that would increase our financial exposure and make further adjustments more disruptive."
Leadership stressed the hiring pause was temporary through the current semester and meant to preserve financial flexibility in the wake of new federal policies.
"We are also asking the leadership of schools and administrative units to scrutinize discretionary and non-salary spending, reassess the scope and timing of capital renewal projects, and conduct a rigorous review of any new multi-year commitments," the leadership wrote.
The General Services Administration announced last week that it was canceling $400 million in federal grants and contracts to Columbia University, due to "inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students." It was not immediately clear which grants and contracts were being cut.
"Canceling these taxpayer funds is our strongest signal yet that the federal government is not going to be party to an educational institution like Columbia that does not protect Jewish students and staff," said Leo Terrell, who leads the Justice Department's antisemitism task force.
Harvard said it would continue its mission of advocating for higher education in Washington, D.C.
Information from Reuters was used in this report.
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