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DOJ probes Harvard aid
The U.S. Department of Justice opened a compliance review into Harvard University to determine whether its China-based financial aid programmes and practices exclude American-citizen students, as part of the Trump administration’s broader scrutiny of the Ivy League school.
The Justice Department said the review is aimed at Harvard’s “China-based financial aid programs,” and it argued that Chinese donors have given money to support financial aid programmes limited to students from certain countries in a way that could amount to illegal discrimination based on country of origin.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said, “Schools cannot take federal dollars and then turn around and accept money from foreign sources to give financial aid that deliberately excludes American citizens — doing so is illegal, and we will stop it wherever we find it,” as the department emphasized it “has not reached any conclusions.”
Harvard said it was reviewing the notice and stated that, “Harvard follows the law for required reporting of donations and, consistent with our legal obligations under Title VI, does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, or national origin in allocating financial aid,” while the Justice Department cited Harvard’s foreign funding disclosures including $630 million from Chinese sources and about $4.5 billion in foreign funding overall.
Harvard denies, China counters
Harvard’s response to the Justice Department’s notice was framed as a legal compliance issue, with the university saying it was reviewing the inquiry and reiterating that it does not unlawfully discriminate in allocating financial aid.
In Washington, Liu Chang, a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington, said, “China maintains that normal education and academic exchange should not be disrupted for political purposes,” adding that education cooperation is mutually beneficial.
The Straits Times reported the Justice Department alleged that Harvard’s financial aid programmes violate civil rights law by excluding American citizens, and it quoted the department’s claim that the review targets “China-based financial aid programmes and practices exclude American-citizen students.”
The Reuters-based reporting described the probe as the latest fight between the Trump administration and Harvard, with the Justice Department alleging Harvard appeared to be accepting Chinese funds that restrict how money may be used and require aid “with preference given to students from particular countries.”
What’s at risk next
The Justice Department said its compliance review could lead to enforcement measures, including the suspension of federal funding, if it finds Harvard discriminated in its aid awards, and the Straits Times warned that the university could be cut off from “billions of dollars in federal research funding and student financial aid.”
The Straits Times also reported that the Justice Department letter required Harvard to give investigators access to documents detailing donations from Chinese-based or affiliated sources by July 31, and it said non-compliance could trigger enforcement measures.
The probe is tied to federal reporting requirements, with KTVN reporting that under Section 117 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 colleges and universities must report gifts and contracts valued at $250,000 or more, and it said the Justice Department cited Harvard’s disclosed nearly $4.5 billion in foreign funding and more than $630 million from sources based in China.
KTVN further said the Civil Rights Division’s review of Harvard’s disclosures raised concerns under Title VI, including that some China-based funding sources require Harvard to support or establish financial aid programmes “with preference given to students from particular countries,” potentially affecting “American citizens” seeking aid.
