The Trump administration announced on July 9 that it had notified Harvard University’s accreditor that the academic institution may not meet its standards of accreditation because it has been violating federal antidiscrimination laws.
The U.S. Departments of Education, and Health and Human Services, notified the New England Commission of Higher Education—the accreditation agency for colleges and universities in six states in the region—that HHS had concluded that the school violated Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act after launching a compliance review in February.
The review was initially launched into Harvard Medical School based on reported incidents of Jew-hatred last year at its graduation ceremony. The probe was expanded to the entire university in April.
The Joint Task Force to Combat Antisemitism notified the school on June 30 that the department concluded that Harvard acted “with deliberate indifference toward discrimination and harassment against Jewish and Israeli students on its campus from Oct. 7, 2023, to the present,” according to HHS.
“When an institution—no matter how prestigious—abandons its mission and fails to protect its students, it forfeits the legitimacy that accreditation is designed to uphold,” stated Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the U.S. secretary of health and human services.
“HHS and the Department of Education will actively hold Harvard accountable through sustained oversight until it restores public trust and ensures a campus free of discrimination,” he said.
Harvard said the next comprehensive evaluation for accreditation is scheduled for fall 2027.
‘Strides to combat bigotry, hate and bias’
Jason Newton, director of media relations and communications at Harvard, told JNS that Harvard has taken substantive, proactive steps to address the root causes of antisemitism in its community.
“In responding to the government’s investigation, Harvard not only shared its comprehensive and retrospective Antisemitism and Anti-Israeli Bias Report but also outlined the ways that it has strengthened policies; disciplined those who violate them; encouraged civil discourse; and promoted open, respectful dialogue,” Newton stated.
He added that the school “strongly disagrees with the government’s findings” and that it has complied with the commission’s accreditation standards.
“Harvard has made significant strides to combat bigotry, hate and bias,” Newton said. “We are not alone in confronting this challenge and recognize that this work is ongoing. We remain committed to ensuring members of our Jewish and Israeli community are embraced, respected and can thrive at Harvard.”
‘Acted with deliberate indifference’
Linda McMahon, the U.S. secretary of education, stated that “by allowing antisemitic harassment and discrimination to persist unchecked on its campus, Harvard University has failed in its obligation to students, educators, and American taxpayers.”
“The Department of Education expects the New England Commission of Higher Education to enforce its policies and practices, and to keep the department fully informed of its efforts to ensure that Harvard is in compliance with federal law and accreditor standards,” she added.
The New England Commission of Higher Education referred JNS to its prior statement that it received the notification from the Trump administration, but that it doesn’t mean it will necessarily revoke Harvard’s accreditation.
“The commission determines when an institution is not in compliance with its standards for accreditation and takes appropriate action based on that determination,” it stated. “The commission’s policies and procedures, in accord with federal regulation, give institutions up to four years to come into compliance when found by the commission to be out of compliance, which can be extended for good cause. Institutions in a non-compliance status remain accredited during this period of time.”
On June 4, the Trump administration notified the Middle States Commission on Higher Education that Columbia University no longer meets its accreditation standards, having “acted with deliberate indifference towards the harassment of Jewish students on its campus.”
