Harvard placed under heightened federal oversight amid admissions probe

Harvard University is facing increased federal scrutiny as the Trump administration intensifies oversight of the Ivy League institution.

The Education Department on Sept 19 placed Harvard under heightened financial monitoring and warned of possible sanctions if it fails to provide additional admissions data.

This marks another episode in the ongoing tension between the university and federal authorities.

Education Secretary Linda McMahon confirmed that Harvard would operate under “heightened cash monitoring,” requiring the university to distribute financial aid using its own funds before seeking federal reimbursement.

She added that “further enforcement action” could follow if Harvard does not submit records showing that race no longer influences admissions decisions, according to the Associated Press.

The move is part of a broader campaign by the Trump administration targeting what it calls liberal bias in higher education.

Federal agencies have taken aggressive measures against elite universities, including withholding federal research grants and pushing institutions toward expensive settlements in ongoing investigations.

Harvard previously lost $2.6 billion in federal research funding after resisting demands to alter governance and student disciplinary policies.

A federal judge later ordered the restoration of those funds, calling the administration’s actions “a targeted, ideologically motivated assault on this country’s premier universities.”

The $46 million in research funding was released to the university on Sept 19.

The Education Department’s current focus on Harvard’s admissions practices is tied to the Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling prohibiting consideration of race in college admissions.

Harvard has been asked to provide detailed data on applicants and admitted students, and officials maintain that the university has not fully complied.

The scrutiny stems from a 2014 lawsuit alleging the school’s policies disadvantaged White and Asian applicants, which eventually reached the Supreme Court.

Harvard’s endowment, the largest in the country at $53 billion, is also under examination. McMahon raised concerns over the university’s financial stability given uncertainties around federal funding.

The heightened oversight illustrates the administration’s willingness to exert pressure even on institutions with substantial financial resources.

As the dispute unfolds, Harvard’s situation highlights the growing friction between elite universities and a government intent on reshaping higher education.

The outcome may have lasting effects on admissions policies, federal funding, and the autonomy of America’s most prestigious institutions.