According to Bloomberg News, Harvard University President Alan Garber is requesting three things from the school's alumni in order to overcome the impasse with the Donald Trump administration: their money, their voices, and their attention.
The Trump administration, which has suspended more than USD 2.6 billion in funding for Harvard due to its alleged response to anti-semitism on campus during the pro-Palestine campus protests, is currently involved in an increasingly heated dispute with the oldest and wealthiest university in the United States.
Garber invited Harvard's supporters to contribute to the Presidential Priorities Fund, which tries to fill in spending gaps under the budget freeze to sustain the university's essential teaching and research activities, in a message to "alumni and friends" on Monday, according to Bloomberg News.
“I am grateful to everyone who stands with Harvard as we continue to pursue our mission, drive progress, and serve the public good,” Garber said in the message. “Now is the time to speak up and lend your support to institutions that have contributed so much to our nation and our world,” he added.
Harvard has a USD 53 billion endowment, the majority of which has been designated for specific purposes, such as financial aid. Garber encouraged alumni to donate to the schools from which they graduated.
He also advised people to be informed by reading his missives and keeping track of the research that was already in jeopardy due to budget cuts. A separate fund on the Harvard University alumni website allows the president to give financial aid to support research projects.
Harvard is suing the Trump administration over alleged "unconstitutional demands" that endanger its independence. A wide range of endeavours of the university are caught up in political and judicial battles.
This includes research into tuberculosis, early identification of Lou Gehrig's disease (ALS), and techniques for decreasing radiation adverse effects. Harvard has updated its main webpage to highlight the projects that are at risk as a result of the dispute with the Trump administration.
Garber asked graduates to share their own stories and defend the university and higher education in general, "as an engine of American progress and a force for good in people's lives", in ordinary discussions, on social media, and to their political representatives.
Last Monday, Harvard stated that it would donate an additional USD 250 million in university money to assist in paying for research over the next year, in addition to the approximately USD 500 million it spends on research each year.
