Weaponization of university funding harms free expression

Three US federal agencies, namely the Department of Education, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the General Services Administration, jointly issued a statement, on Monday, announcing a review of $255.6 million in contracts between Harvard University, its affiliated institutions, and the federal government, as well as a $8.7 billion multiyear federal grant commitment.

This move is widely seen as part of a broader action by the US administration. Earlier, on March 7, the administration revoked $400 million in federal grants and contracts to Columbia University, citing the university's failure to protect Jewish students from harassment during campus protests against Israel's actions in Gaza last year. That order too came from the Department of Health and Human Services, the General Services Administration, and the Department of Education.

These actions have sparked intense debates across the United States. Supporters argue these are necessary steps to curb what they see as "far-left extremism" in US universities. However, critics condemn the moves as excessive overreach, warning that they "undermine academic freedom and free speech".