The U.S. Department of Justice has opened an investigation into Harvard University, looking into whether the school is breaking federal civil rights law by offering financial aid funded by Chinese sources that deliberately excludes American students. The announcement came on July 20, and it adds to a growing list of federal probes targeting one of the country’s most powerful and well-funded universities.
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At the heart of the investigation is a straightforward question: can a university take money from a foreign government with strings attached that shut American citizens out of financial aid opportunities? According to the DOJ, the answer is no.
From The Epoch Times:
Universities are required by federal law to report gifts and contracts from foreign sources that exceed $250,000 in a year. Harvard had disclosed nearly $4.5 billion in foreign funding, of which $630 million came from sources based in China — the university’s largest source of foreign funding — the department said.
According to the DOJ, Harvard appears to accept funds from China-based sources that require the university to establish financial aid programs “with preference given to students from particular countries.”
“Schools cannot take federal dollars and then turn around and accept money from foreign sources to give financial aid that deliberately excludes American citizens — doing so is illegal, and we will stop it wherever we find it,” said Harmeet K. Dhillon, assistant attorney general of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division.
This is not the first time Harvard has faced federal scrutiny. Last year, officials opened an investigation into whether the Harvard Law Review used race-based criteria to select members and articles. In March, the Education Department launched two separate probes — one looking at whether Harvard used race in its admissions process, and another examining reports of ongoing antisemitic harassment on campus tied to the war in Gaza.
Harvard holds enormous influence over who gets educated, who gets funded, and ultimately who shapes American institutions. When a foreign government with interests that run counter to those of the United States is able to funnel hundreds of millions of dollars into that university with conditions attached, it raises serious questions about whose interests are actually being served. Christians who care about fairness, national sovereignty, and the protection of American students have good reason to pay attention to where this investigation leads.
Pray for justice to be done, for transparency in our institutions, and for leaders who will put the interests of American citizens first.
How are you praying about this issue? Share your prayers and scriptures in the comments below.
(Excerpt from The Epoch Times. Photo Credit: APCortizasJr/Getty Images)
