On Monday, Harvard University filed a lawsuit that it hopes will end the federal government’s hold on over $2 billion of research funds destined for the university’s faculty. The suit claims that the government’s demands for input on Harvard’s hiring and admissions violate the university’s First Amendment rights, and that the funding freeze hasn’t followed the procedures laid out in federal law.
Earlier in April, the government sent a letter to Harvard demanding various changes, from altering university governance to enforcing a completely undefined “viewpoint diversity” on hiring and admissions. Failing to agree, the government suggested, would place the financial relationship between the government and Harvard at risk. Harvard responded with a strongly worded refusal and, by the end of the day, saw the government put over $2 billion in research funding on hold. Harvard was not told how long the hold would last or what exactly was needed to lift
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