Celebration at Harvard's Graduation Embraces Diversity Amid Trump's Implied Intimidation
High-profile legal dispute between Harvard University and the Trump administration unfolds
Harvard University graduates celebrated their commencement on Thursday amid a challenging time for the esteemed institution, as speakers underscored the importance of maintaining a diverse and international student body while standing up for the truth. The Ivy League school is currently embroiled in a legal battle with the Trump administration over funding and restrictions on teaching and admissions.
The university's clash with the administration has added another layer of complexity for the thousands of graduates who have already faced numerous hurdles since arriving on campus four years ago. Arriving as the world was emerging from a pandemic, students have grappled with student-led protests over the war in Gaza during their college years.
Other educational institutions also face the potential loss of federal funding and restrictions on enrolling international students if they do not comply with the Trump administration's shifting demands. However, Harvard, which was founded more than a century before the nation itself, has been at the forefront of defying the White House in court and bearing a substantial financial cost.
The Trump administration's recent actions include requests for federal agencies to cancel approximately $100 million in contracts with Harvard, the cancellation of more than $2.6 billion in federal research grants, and threats to cut off Harvard's enrollment of international students and jeopardize its tax-exempt status.
On Tuesday, visa interviews for international students admitted to schools across the nation were halted, with Trump proposing that Harvard reduce its international enrollment from 25% to about 15%.
Leveraging a $53 billion endowment, the nation's wealthiest university is testing the limits of its ability to act as a bulwark against Trump's attempts to limit what his administration calls antisemitic activism on campus. The administration has demanded that Harvard make significant leadership changes, revise its admissions policies, and audit its faculty and student body to ensure ideological diversity.
In response to these threats, Harvard has sued to block the funding freeze and successfully persuaded a federal judge to temporarily halt the enrollment ban. During a hearing in Boston on Thursday, the judge extended her order blocking the ban on enrolling international students.
Harvard President Alan Garber, who has frequently defended the school's actions, did not directly address the administration's threats in his graduation speech to the graduates on Thursday. However, he did earn rousing applause when he highlighted the university's global reach, stating, "It is just as it should be."
Several graduation speakers spoke more directly about the challenges facing the school and society. Salutatorian Aidan Robert Scully delivered a speech with references to Trump policies, stating, "Neither powers nor princes can change the truth and deny that diversity is our strength."
Yurong Luanna Jiang, a Chinese graduate who studied international development, expressed concerns about her worldview being threatened. Jiang highlighted the global community she discovered at Harvard, which included classmates from all around the world. Now, she wonders whether her outlook is under threat due to increasing intolerance.
Dr. Abraham Verghese, a bestselling author and Stanford University expert on infectious diseases, likened his role as the keynote speaker to being a medieval messenger "slipping into a besieged community." He emphasized that nothing could diminish the graduates' achievements despite the heightened attention on the university.
Basketball Hall of Famer and activist Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the "Class Day" speaker on Wednesday, praising Harvard for standing up to the Trump administration, particularly commending its President Alan Garber for his resistance. Journalist Christiane Amanpour addressed graduates of Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, sharing similar sentiments.
In an interview with a university publication earlier in the week, Garber condemned the government's overreach and unlawful attacks on scientific and medical research, stating that the administration's actions are "unwarranted and unlawful, and so we have taken legal action to defend the institution."
The conflict between Harvard and the Trump administration is part of a broader escalating conflict over academic freedom, immigration policy, and federal funding[1][2][3].
[1] Harvard sues Trump administration for blocking foreign student enrollment[2] Harvard fights Trump administration over loss of federal funding and restrictions on admissions[3] Harvard's battle with Trump administration over international student enrollment
- The legal dispute between Harvard University and the Trump administration not only affects the university's education and self-development, but also raises concerns about academic freedom and political tensions within society.
- As Harvard stands up to the Trump administration over funding and restrictions on teaching and admissions, its fight represents a significant general news issue, pertaining not only to the institution itself, but also to other educational institutions facing similar challenges.
