Federal Task Force Scrutinizing Harvard’s Contracts in Anti-Semitism Probe

The announcement followed Columbia University’s pledge to comply with federal requirements and protect Jewish students.

Protesters hold signs in support of Palestine “resistance” during a rally at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., on Oct. 14, 2023. Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images

The departments of Education and Health and Human Services, as well as the General Services Administration, will examine $8.7 billion in contracts and grants awarded to Harvard University as part of an ongoing joint task force investigation into campus anti-Semitism, the agencies announced on March 31.

“Harvard has served as a symbol of the American Dream for generations—the pinnacle aspiration for students all over the world to work hard and earn admission to the storied institution,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon was quoted as saying in the agencies’ joint statement.