Harvard is likely to invest $500 million in workforce training to regain over $2 billion in federal funding suspended by the Trump administration.
Recently, Brown University pledged $50 million over 10 years for a similar training programme.
Harvard University is likely to pay $500 million for workforce training programmes to regain over $2 billion in federal funds, which has been suspended by the President Donald Trump-led US administration, Bloomberg reported. The development could end months long tussle between Harvard University and the White House.
The university so far has made no official announcement.
But Harvard wouldn’t be the first university to do so. Last month, Brown University agreed to contribute $50 million over the next 10 years towards training programmes.
The development is crucial as it comes months after the US president had signed an executive order to shift focus from “an economically unproductive postsecondary system” to “refocus on young Americans on career preparation”. In May this year, Trump, via a post on his social media platform Truth Social, said the administration is mulling to cut federal funding to the university by $3 billion and directing it to trade schools. The Trump administration had sent a list of demands to Harvard University, including changes in its governance, hiring practices, and admission process. Prior to this, the university officials were asked to close diversity offices and collaborate with immigration authorities to screen international students.
Besides this, the White House threatened that it would cancel Harvard’s tax-exempt status and seize hundreds of millions of dollars in patents. It also asked the university to stop enrollment of international students.
Instead of paying penalties, the White House has agreed to accept contributions to workforce training programs by these universities, Bloomberg reported. While Harvard has persistently declined to pay a direct fine to the Trump-led administration, Columbia University agreed to pay more than $200 million as a part of settlement. Additionally, the university agreed to $21 million to settle a probe launched by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in March against claims of workplace harassment based on religion. Consequently, Columbia can access a $1.3 billion federal fund.
