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Federal agencies continue terminating all funding to Harvard

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Re: Federal agencies continue terminating all funding to Harvard

#61

Post by pasttense01 »

uhhhd wrote: post #37
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...

The President of Harvard University is a Jew. Do you really think he is going to allow Harvard to engage in anti-Jewish policies?

Re: Federal agencies continue terminating all funding to Harvard

#62

Post by landl0rd »

jknoepfler wrote: post #32
landl0rd wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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 v…

I voted mostly against harris.

I don't really like trump. I've voted against him in every primary I could. I voted libertarian in 2020 because I figured biden would lose.

I do not believe harris will be any better at containing china. probably worse. Trump is not particularly effective but he at least pretends to care.

Re: Federal agencies continue terminating all funding to Harvard

#63

Post by _zagj »

WalterGR wrote: post #59
_zagj wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 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.

> it's a tax-dodge, and nothing more. Same thing with non-profit hospitals whose administrators pay themselves seven-figure salaries. What do you mean by tax dodge, in this context? How familiar are you with taxes? Off the top of my head, people who work for non-profits have to pay withholdings and income taxes, just like the rest of us. Generally, 'business' expenses for both non-profit and for-profit organizations…

They pay no corporate income or capital gains tax.

Re: Federal agencies continue terminating all funding to Harvard

#64

Post by Braxton1980 »

landl0rd wrote: post #60
Braxton1980 wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>The left will raise social spending. We all end up deeper in debt. But >I would prefer more defense spending to ensure the military inferiority of China

Defense was about 12% of last year's spending. I think we should cut the other 88% a lot. Raise defense spending a little. Work hard on bringing down defense costs because we are throwing money at the primes for what.

>Defense was about 12% of last year's spending. I think we should cut the other 88% a lot.

It's not a contradiction to believe in cutting spending due to a fear of the deficit EXCEPT you make exceptions, like defense, which you provided an explanation to.

However that means you can't use the general rule alone as the reason for cutting social programs (or better asked as) "Why not make an exception for social programs?"

______

I don't know what primes are

Re: Federal agencies continue terminating all funding to Harvard

#65

Post by WalterGR »

_zagj wrote: post #63
WalterGR wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> it's a tax-dodge, and nothing more. Same thing with non-profit hospitals whose administrators pay themselves seven-figure salaries. What do you mean by tax dodge, in this context? How familiar are you with taxes? Off the top of my head, people who work for non-profits have to pay withholdings and income taxes, just like the rest of us. Generally, 'business' expenses for both non-profit and for-profit organizations…

They pay no corporate income or capital gains tax.

Well, right. In that case, all non-profits are "tax dodges" using the literal interpretation of the words. But tax dodge usually implies something unsavory...

Is the issue that you don't think that any university - or perhaps specifically Harvard? - should be granted non-profit status? If that’s the case, then I'm curious what you think about the same question for religion-affiliated universities and non-profit organizations whose missions you agree with?

Re: Federal agencies continue terminating all funding to Harvard

#66

Post by aaomidi »

yieldcrv wrote: post #38
spinarrets wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

There’s a lot of work that is “useful” but the return on investment is not direct, but rather indirect.

For example I don’t remember the detail exactly but this professors insistence to study extremophiles has directly translated to many improvements in medicine.

Re: Federal agencies continue terminating all funding to Harvard

#67

Post by tmpz22 »

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…

Right, if you assume competency and hard work from the administration involved. Seriously, many of the cuts reference returning power to the states, does that mean it will be returned in its entirety as block grants, or as non-corporate tax cuts? Based on past performance I doubt they'll accomplish either yet the money and programs and federal jobs will still be gone. Federal jobs many considered to be good jobs and even the biggest cynic would admit provided -some- public good (e.g. National Parks NSF, NHS, many others).

How many times is woke (and related words) mentioned? Is dragging culture war BS into the budgeting process really the way forward. In the limited descriptions that they gave, was dedicating so much headspace to nebulous buzzwords really a good use of tax payer money? Are we really machete'ing giant programs and saying its all because of woke?

Green New Scam was plastered everywhere, likely referencing Biden's infrastructure bill where ~80% of funds were earmarked for conservative districts (it was the only way to pass the bill!).

I'm not here to disparage the way you vote or your beliefs and certainly not what you think is best for the country, but taken within the context of Trumps ~5 years in political office, does this really look like a good thing?

Re: Federal agencies continue terminating all funding to Harvard

#68

Post by programjames »

AlotOfReading wrote: post #51
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…

75 years ago was right in the middle of McCarthyism, when universities were not only taking federal GI Bill money hand over fist, but instituting loyalty pledges and political review boards for staff and students. I don't think anyone needed to contemplate theoretical financial levers when they had much more straightforward examples immediately at hand.

Tuition money doesn't fund research, so how is the GI Bill relevant?

Re: Federal agencies continue terminating all funding to Harvard

#69

Post by justanotheratom »

Maxatar wrote: post #47
justanotheratom wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[dead]

Israel, as per the declaration: https://www.hhs.gov/press-room/anti-semitism-task-force-stat...

I’m confused. the declaration does not say anything about swearing fealty to a genocidal foreign government.

Re: Federal agencies continue terminating all funding to Harvard

#70

Post by firesteelrain »

Braxton1980 wrote: post #40
ArthurStacks wrote: post #36

[flagged]

What evidence do you have of political indoctrination or social activism?

[1] https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2024/6/4/dei-faculty-hiri...

“ Harvard’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences will stop requiring a diversity, inclusion, and belonging statement as part of its faculty hiring process”

Professor Randall Kennedy of Harvard Law School described these statements as "ideological pledges of allegiance" that pressure candidates to conform to specific viewpoints, potentially discouraging those with differing perspectives

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I,_Too,_Am_Harvard

[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupy_Harvard

[4] https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2024/11/1/pro-palestine-l...

[5] https://www.jdjournal.com/2024/07/05/critics-blast-harvard-t...

[6] https://www.harvardmagazine.com/2025/04/harvard-renames-dive...

[7] https://www.wbur.org/news/2024/05/28/harvard-university-neut...

For instance, computer science professor Harry Lewis observed that the course catalog contains over 100 classes referencing "social justice" and around 80 each mentioning "oppression" or "liberation,"

[8] https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2024/02/18/harvar...

[9] https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2024/1/8/lewis-reaping-wh...

Those are some examples but clearly they have failed to address anti semitism on their campus. Harvard also appears to be an enabler of social activism

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