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Federal agencies continue terminating all funding to Harvard

arstechnica.com

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Re: Federal agencies continue terminating all funding to Harvard

#31

Post by Braxton1980 »

_zagj wrote: post #29
WalterGR wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because they know what an endowment is, how they're used, what a 501(c)(3) nonprofit is, and very generally the tax rules around such nonprofits. I can provide links if you'd like to learn. I'm just on mobile right now and it's a pain. It would help, though, if you could describe in what way people should be bothered.

> what a 501(c)(3) nonprofit In the case of Harvard and many other institutions, it's a tax-dodge, and nothing more. Same thing with non-profit hospitals whose administrators pay themselves seven-figure salaries.

Ok and?

What does this article have to do with nonprofits in general?

Also the board of the nonprofit sets salaries for admin

Re: Federal agencies continue terminating all funding to Harvard

#32

Post by jknoepfler »

landl0rd wrote: post #15
tmpz22 wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Don't worry we're increasing defense spending by 13% [1]. I suggest everyone read the linked source, its absolutely chilling. [1]: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Fiscal...

I voted for Trump. I think the Harvard funding thing is stupid. I don't really want money going to Israel. However, I don't think this is chilling. I would prefer more defense spending to ensure the military inferiority of China. And I would prefer to cut most social spending from the federal level and relegate it to the local level. This is pretty consistent with most people on the right. This is not a feature of th…

It's exactly what the entire campaign platform you voted for was: unprincipled, random bullshit designed to stoke an angry, bigoted, ignorant base.

I can respect principled patriotism and fiscal conservativism, but voting for an icon of xenophobia, illiteracy, and graft and expecting anything but that is kinda...

Also if you actually gave a shit about containing China, it would probably be in your best interests to vote for a candidate who doesn't base their campaign on alienating the entire rest of the free Western world while simultaneously denigrating and disrespecting the armed services... but what do I know.

Re: Federal agencies continue terminating all funding to Harvard

#33

Post by yieldcrv »

75 years ago, universities were cautious about accepting Federal funds due to this specific possibility. It worked out. Not it isn't.

Federal funds comes with strings attached and administrations change. If the usefulness of the work has proven itself now, then other sources can fund it. This won't really be controversial or require grandstanding or debate soon, because it will be the status quo.

Yes, its also disruptive to many programs to cut off funding in this way. I think decoupling is for the better. This university daytraded tax free up to a $50bn endowment, for a rainy day. They just need to get liquid and plug the budget gap, which they are starting to do. Donors and other sources can be leveraged too.

Re: Federal agencies continue terminating all funding to Harvard

#34

Post by krapp »

_zagj wrote: post #19

Harvard currently has a $52 billion endowment on which it pays no tax: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/26/business/harvard-endowmen... Why are progressives not bothered more by this?

Progressives are busy being bothered by other things like transgender and autistic people being demonized, womens' rights being repealed, resegregation, the return of child labor, Nazis being cool apparently, the chilling effect of right-wing oppression and censorship causing the erasure of gay, female and non-white people from history and the public record, book bans and the whole "kidnapping political dissidents to foreign concentration camps" thing. But sure, we can add "rich assholes don't pay enough taxes" to the pile if you want.

Better question is why aren't conservatives bothered by any of this?

Re: Federal agencies continue terminating all funding to Harvard

#35

Post by spinarrets »

yieldcrv wrote: post #33

75 years ago, universities were cautious about accepting Federal funds due to this specific possibility. It worked out. Not it isn't. Federal funds comes with strings attached and administrations change. If the usefulness of the work has proven itself now, then other sources can fund it. This won't really be controversial or require grandstanding or debate soon, because it will be the status quo. Yes, its also disrup…

On the flip side, accepting this funding has allowed for a lot of research to progress. Sometimes those strings attached still lead to a net good. Obviously, you should always have a plan for "what if this source of funding goes to zero, suddenly", and be prepared to walk away if needs be. But it's hard to imagine what university research would be like if they didn't accept Federal funding. (Much, much weaker, I'd imagine.)

Re: Federal agencies continue terminating all funding to Harvard

#37

Post by uhhhd »

markoman wrote: post #5

What exactly are the 'unsafe anti-Semitic actions' that Harvard Univ has committed? Is this whole thing about how Harvard hasn't suppressed the free speech rights of its students as they protested the wholesale bombing of Gaza? Its not like Harvard is rife with far-right activists denying the Holocaust and such. I can't imagine that Harvard wouldn't win their case quite roundly. Law firms & universities have to stop…

Why not try to do the minimum amount of research before complaining about it online? Here's a complaint from a recent lawsuit by a collection of Jewish Harvard students against the university. It's a good starting point. https://www.kasowitz.com/media/unxcnvpo/harvard-complaint.pd...

Re: Federal agencies continue terminating all funding to Harvard

#38

Post by yieldcrv »

spinarrets wrote: post #35
yieldcrv wrote: post #33

75 years ago, universities were cautious about accepting Federal funds due to this specific possibility. It worked out. Not it isn't. Federal funds comes with strings attached and administrations change. If the usefulness of the work has proven itself now, then other sources can fund it. This won't really be controversial or require grandstanding or debate soon, because it will be the status quo. Yes, its also disrup…

On the flip side, accepting this funding has allowed for a lot of research to progress. Sometimes those strings attached still lead to a net good. Obviously, you should always have a plan for "what if this source of funding goes to zero, suddenly", and be prepared to walk away if needs be. But it's hard to imagine what university research would be like if they didn't accept Federal funding. (Much, much weaker, I'd im…

> If the usefulness of the work has proven itself now, then other sources can fund it.

Re: Federal agencies continue terminating all funding to Harvard

#39

Post by atmavatar »

landl0rd wrote: post #15
tmpz22 wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Don't worry we're increasing defense spending by 13% [1]. I suggest everyone read the linked source, its absolutely chilling. [1]: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Fiscal...

I voted for Trump. I think the Harvard funding thing is stupid. I don't really want money going to Israel. However, I don't think this is chilling. I would prefer more defense spending to ensure the military inferiority of China. And I would prefer to cut most social spending from the federal level and relegate it to the local level. This is pretty consistent with most people on the right. This is not a feature of th…

> I would prefer more defense spending to ensure the military inferiority of China.

How much do you believe each country spends on defense?

See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_with_highest...

Based on that, the US spends more than the remainder of the top 10 countries combined, most of which are allies.

The US could cut its defense budget in half and still be spending more than China and Russia (spots 2 and 3) combined.

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