Donald Trump’s administration on Thursday revoked Harvard’s capacity to enroll international nationals – greater than 1 / 4 of its pupil physique – in a pointy escalation of the president’s battle with the celebrated college.
Harvard, primarily based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, rapidly condemned the transfer as “unlawful,” warning it will hurt each the campus neighborhood and the nation, whereas college students described the campus ambiance as “panicking.”
Trump’s anger stems from Harvard’s refusal to undergo his calls for for oversight on admissions and hiring, citing allegations that the college fosters anti-Semitism and promotes “woke” liberal ideology.
Losing such a good portion of worldwide college students may deal a significant monetary blow to Harvard, which fees tens of 1000’s of {dollars} in annual tuition.
“Effective immediately, Harvard University’s Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) program certification is revoked,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem wrote in a letter to the Ivy League establishment, referring to the primary system that allows international college students to review within the U.S.
Harvard, which has sued the federal government over a separate set of punitive measures, rapidly fired again, calling the transfer “unlawful.”
“We are fully committed to maintaining Harvard’s ability to host our international students and scholars,” it mentioned in a press release, including that it was working to supply college students steerage and help.
“This retaliatory action threatens serious harm to the Harvard community and our country, and undermines Harvard’s academic and research mission.”
Karl Molden, a global pupil from Austria, mentioned he had utilized to review at Oxford in Britain as a result of he feared such measures.
“It’s scary and it’s saddening,” the 21-year-old authorities and classics pupil advised Agence France-Presse (AFP).
“I really like Harvard, and moving into the varsity has been the best privilege of my life.
“It’s definitely going to change the perception of … students who might consider studying there – the U.S. is becoming a less attractive spot for higher education.”
Leaders of the Harvard chapter of the American Association of University Professors referred to as the transfer “the latest in a string of nakedly authoritarian and retaliatory moves against America’s oldest institution of higher education.”
“The Trump administration is unlawfully seeking to destroy higher education in the U.S. It now demands that we sacrifice our international students in the process. Universities cannot acquiesce to such extortion,” they mentioned.
‘Everyone’s panicking’
Last month, Trump threatened to cease Harvard from enrolling international college students if it didn’t comply with authorities calls for that may put the personal establishment underneath outdoors political supervision.
“As I explained to you in my April letter, it is a privilege to enroll foreign students,” Noem wrote.
“All universities must comply with Department of Homeland Security requirements, including reporting requirements under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program regulations, to maintain this privilege,” she mentioned.
“As a result of your refusal to comply with multiple requests to provide the Department of Homeland Security pertinent information while perpetuating an unsafe campus environment that is hostile to Jewish students, promotes pro-Hamas sympathies, and employs racist ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ policies, you have lost this privilege.”
More than 27% of Harvard’s enrollment was made up of international college students within the 2024-25 tutorial yr, in keeping with college information.
Fourth-year U.S. pupil Alice Goyer advised AFP, “no one knows” what the event would imply for worldwide college students already enrolled.
“We just got the news, so I’ve been getting texts from a lot of international friends, and I think everyone’s just – no one knows,” she mentioned.
“Everyone’s panicking a bit.”
On whether or not college students would willingly switch to different establishments, as advised by Noem within the letter, Goyer mentioned, “I doubt people would do that.”
“I would hope maybe there’s going to be a legal battle that’ll take place.”
Source: www.dailysabah.com