Harvard president cuts salary amid federal funding crisis

In the United States, Harvard University President Alan Garber announced a voluntary 25% salary reduction for the fiscal year 2025-26. This decision, confirmed by several news outlets, is a direct response to a significant freeze on federal funding by the Trump administration. Such actions have affected Harvard's funding severely; the administration froze $2.2 billion in multiyear grants and canceled an additional $60 million in contracts. The funding cuts came amid allegations of antisemitism and racial discrimination within the university, leading to further scrutiny of its policies and practices. Moreover, these cuts threaten Harvard's ability to maintain its esteemed programs and faculty, potentially impacting graduate admissions and research capabilities significantly. The ongoing dispute has resulted in a lawsuit initiated by Harvard, claiming the funding freeze violates academic freedom and alleging that it amounts to a form of 'blacklisting' against the university for its refusal to comply with political demands made by the administration. Harvard has asserted that the federal government does not possess a rational basis for connecting its concerns about antisemitism to the funding it has suspended, signifyng a complex relationship between federal oversight and institutional autonomy. Several prominent voices, including Education Secretary Linda McMahon, have framed the salary reduction as inconsequential amidst ongoing allegations against the institution, suggesting there remain serious questions about Harvard's handling of antisemitism and its broader implications for civil rights on campuses nationwide. Negotiations between Harvard and the government are ongoing, yet a resolution is yet to be achieved, leaving the university in a precarious position as it navigates compliance and its future funding landscape.