Daijiworld Media Network – Washington

Washington, Aug 25: Harvard University, the nation’s wealthiest academic institution, has come under unprecedented pressure from the Trump administration, which has issued a sweeping list of demands aimed at reshaping campus culture. With billions of dollars in federal research funding at stake, university leaders are negotiating with the White House while simultaneously adopting several reforms, some even before any formal agreement is reached.

Among the most controversial demands are the elimination of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) offices, restrictions on faculty appointments, and changes to admissions practices. Harvard president Dr. Alan M. Garber has criticized many of these proposals as unconstitutional and intrusive, but the university has already taken significant steps that align with the administration’s agenda.

In April, Harvard quietly renamed its Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging to the Office for Community and Campus Life. It also dismantled websites for its Foundation for Intercultural and Race Relations and similar offices for gay and female students, announcing that these functions would be merged into a single, streamlined center.

Trump officials also pressed for leadership changes in departments accused of fostering antisemitic programming. Responding to criticism from Jewish alumni, Harvard removed two leaders from its Center for Middle Eastern Studies, including renowned Turkish scholar Cemal Kafadar, in March.

Further, the White House demanded an end to Harvard’s academic partnership with Birzeit University in the West Bank. Harvard confirmed it has suspended ties and established new collaborations with Israeli institutions.

While Harvard insists these moves are part of its independent efforts to foster inclusivity and broaden perspectives, critics like history professor Kirsten Weld argue that the university is, in effect, mirroring the White House’s controversial checklist under political duress.