Harvard Can Afford to Defy Washington — HBCUs Cannot. Alumni Must Step Up
By Matthew A. Pigatt Harvard University recently rebuffed a sweeping set of federal demands that threatened its admissions standards, hiring policies and campus speech. Within hours, Washington froze more than $2 billion in research and student-aid funds. Commentators praised Harvard’s resolve and framed it as a showdown over academic freedom. Our community sees a different lesson: only a university backed by a $50 billion endowment can afford to weather such a loss without shutting off the lights. Historically Black Colleges and Universities cannot. Many HBCUs have endowments smaller than a single Harvard school. If federal or state money is withheld,