Harvard University is making big changes to how it handles DEI or diversity programs on campus—changes that many believe are happening because of growing pressure from the Trump administration. The Ivy League school is also fighting to get back $2.2 billion in frozen federal funds.
According to the National Review, Harvard is renaming its Office for Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging. The office will now be called “Community and Campus Life” and will shift its focus to helping students from different backgrounds connect, especially those who are first-generation college students or from low-income families.
“We will work with all of Harvard’s schools to put these new goals into action,” the university said in an email.
As of Tuesday, the office’s name hadn’t yet been updated on Harvard’s website.
No More Funding for Race-Based Graduations
Harvard also announced it will no longer pay for or host graduation events for certain identity-based student groups—also known as “affinity groups.” These events were separate from the official graduation and celebrated specific groups like Black, Arab, LGBTQ+, Jewish, and first-generation college students.
Last year, Harvard held at least 10 of these events, but moving forward, the school says it won’t give money, staff, or space for them. The federal government’s complaint mainly focused on events separated by race, so those are likely the first to go.
Harvard hasn’t said what will happen to the other non-race-based celebrations.
Harvard Sues After Losing $2.2 Billion in Federal Money
These decisions come shortly after Harvard filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration. The school is trying to fight back after more than $2.2 billion in federal funding was cut off.
As the National Review reports, the lawsuit says the government is punishing Harvard for not agreeing to certain demands, like removing diversity programs and hiring people based only on grades and test scores.
“The government is telling us: Let us control your school, or we’ll take away your funding,” Harvard’s lawyers said in court papers.
Harvard Makes Some Changes, But Not All
Even though Harvard is fighting back in court, the school has already made a few changes that align with what the executive branch wants.
National Review states that Harvard has fired directors from its Middle Eastern Studies center after claims the program supported antisemitic views. It states that the school has also ended a research partnership with a university in the West Bank that faced public criticism.
The Trump administration is also looking into how Harvard is handling issues of antisemitism on campus, especially during the war between Israel and Hamas. That review includes up to $9 billion in total federal funds.
More Investigations Underway
On top of that, two federal agencies—Education and Health and Human Services—have launched new investigations into Harvard and the Harvard Law Review. The law journal is being accused of picking members based on race instead of merit.
Harvard’s changes show how much pressure some colleges are under as the federal government pushes back on diversity policies. In the National Review, some students have expressed disappointment over losing the ability to celebrate their identities in smaller, community-based graduations, while others say the school is doing what it must to stay afloat.
“This is heartbreaking for a lot of us,” said one anonymous Harvard senior in a message shared with The Crimson. “These ceremonies meant something personal—now it just feels like we’re being erased to save face.”
Depending on how this shapes up, Harvard’s decisions may set a new precedent for how schools handle diversity across the country.
