University Finances
Harvard Medical School to Cut 20 Percent of Research Spending, Dean Says in Annual Address
Harvard Medical School Dean George Q. Daley ’82 said the University’s central administration had instructed him to cut spending on the Medical School’s research enterprise by at least 20 percent by the end of the fiscal year in his annual State of the School address Wednesday morning.
Harvard’s Austerity Measures Put Library Renovations on Hold
Harvard has paused plans to renovate four University libraries ahead of its 400th anniversary in 2036 as part of a temporary halt to capital projects amid an ongoing fight with the White House over federal funding.
Beyond the Lab: Trump’s Funding Cuts Hit Humanities Research at Harvard
A database with pigment analysis of more than 300 Asian paintings. The authoritative dictionary of the Latin language, curated since the 1890s and spanning 1,200 years of inscriptions. A library of translated Ukrainian literature, launched just before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Memorial Church Reduces Programming Amid University Budget Cuts
Memorial Church will limit its student programs and public events as a result of University-wide budget cuts, according to Memorial Church Pusey Minister Matthew Ichihashi Potts.
Center for Latin American Studies To Close Chile, Mexico Offices
Harvard’s David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies will close its office in Santiago, Chile at the end of this year and allow its office lease in Mexico City to expire this month because of a strained budget.
Federal Agencies Begin Notifying Harvard Researchers of Reinstated Funds
Federal agencies have begun to inform Harvard researchers that they are reinstating portions of research funding frozen since the Trump administration’s pause on $2.7 billion in grants and contracts in the spring, according to a Harvard spokesperson on Wednesday evening.
Harvard Funding Cuts Endanger the Massive Fruit Fly Database That Powers Genetic Research
FlyBase lost a multimillion dollar grant when the Trump administration cut off Harvard’s federal funding in May. Now the repository is laying off staff — and researchers worldwide are worried.
Harvard Docks Course Assistant Pay, Cuts Back on Undergraduate Hiring
Harvard College cut course assistant pay in some departments by $2 and has begun reducing teaching assistant positions for undergraduates amid University-wide budget cuts.
After Court Restores Research Funding, Trump Still Has Paths to Target Harvard
Harvard won a milestone legal victory on Wednesday when a judge struck down the Trump administration’s freeze on $2.7 billion in federal funds — but government agencies still have options to keep federal dollars out of the University’s hands.
Harvard Covers Hillel’s Security Expenses for Year
The University will cover the costs of Harvard Hillel’s security measures this year amid a national surge in antisemitism and under pressure from the White House, which repeatedly accuses Harvard of failing to protect Jewish students.
Harvard Arts and Humanities Division Implements $1.95 Million Cut Amid University’s Budget Crunch
Harvard’s Arts and Humanities division instructed department heads to collectively reduce their budgets for non-personnel spending by roughly $1.95 million as divisions across the Faculty of Arts and Sciences implement cost-cutting plans.
Harvard’s Endowment Goes Big on Bitcoin and Gold in Second Quarter of 2025
Harvard Management Company made substantial new investments in exchange-traded funds tracking the value of gold and Bitcoin during the second quarter of 2025, marking a sharp shift in its directly held public equities portfolio after it backed out of many Big Tech positions last quarter.
Harvard Spends Record-High $270,000 on Lobbying in Second Quarter of 2025
Harvard spent $270,000 lobbying the federal government between April and June as it ramped up efforts to counter mounting political and financial pressures from Washington, according to disclosures filed last month.
HMS Announces Spike in Donations, $18 Million Pledge from Blavatnik as Trump Drains Research Funding
Harvard Medical School has pulled in a raft of donations and a major gift from billionaire Leonard V. Blavatnik, who froze contributions in 2023 amid outcry over campus antisemitism, as the school faces steep federal funding cuts, its dean announced Thursday.
Harvard Pays $90K to Trump-Linked Lobbying Firm in Second Quarter of 2025
Harvard paid lobbying firm Ballard Partners $90,000 in the second quarter of 2025 as the University broadened its federal advocacy to include direct engagement with the White House, according to a disclosure filed Tuesday.
DOGE Instructions and a White House Deadline: How the Government Canceled Harvard’s Grants
More than 2,000 pages of court documents present a new window into the government’s process for terminating research grants to Harvard — and show that the Department of Government Efficiency helped facilitate the operation.
Harvard Officials Say Federal Actions Could Cost the University $1 Billion Annually
Harvard President Alan M. Garber ’76 warned Monday that the combined financial impact of sweeping federal policy changes — including research funding cuts and a sharp increase in the tax on endowment income — could cost the University up to $1 billion annually.
Trump Signs Spending Package Into Law, Imposing 8% Tax on Harvard’s Endowment Income
President Donald Trump signed into law a sweeping tax and spending package that significantly raises the federal excise tax on Harvard’s endowment income on Friday — a move that could cost the University more than $200 million a year.
Harvard Kennedy School To Lay Off Staff Amid Federal Funding Cuts, Endowment Tax Threats
The Harvard Kennedy School is laying off employees and implementing a slew of cost-cutting measures in response to “significant financial challenges” inflicted by the Trump administration, the school’s dean announced in an email to faculty and staff on Wednesday.
Stefanik Calls On SEC to Investigate Harvard’s $750 Million Bond Disclosure
Representative Elise M. Stefanik ’06 (R-N.Y.) alleged that Harvard should have told bondholders in an April 9 notice to expect financial fallout from defying the Trump administration’s demands. It is not clear that Harvard had already decided to reject the demands at the time of the bond offering.
Senate Finance Committee Proposal for 8% Endowment Tax Could Cost Harvard $200 Million Per Year
The Senate Finance Committee released proposed changes to the House’s tax and spending bill that would introduce an 8 percent tax on large endowments. Down from the 21 percent rate passed by the House, the proposal would still be a sixfold hike from the 1.4 percent Harvard currently pays.
Harvard Research Cuts Halt More Than 570 Subawards to Other Institutions, Including MGB Hospitals
Harvard will cease funding more than 570 subawards for research at affiliated institutions across 32 states after cuts to federal support, according to a University spokesperson.
Seeking Revenue and Reach, SEAS Sets Its Sights on Expanded Professional Education Programs
The School of Engineering and Applied Sciences aims to expand its professional education programs and increase the programs’ revenue by at least one million dollars by 2030.
After a Semester of Catastrophic Federal Cuts, Researchers at Harvard Are in a ‘Survival State’
Across Harvard’s schools, researchers described a wave of destruction following sweeping terminations of federally funded grants. More than $2.7 billion in cuts have come as part of the Trump administration’s targeted pressure campaign against Harvard.
A Reluctant Fight: Inside Harvard’s War With Washington
At a campus now used to crisis, Garber’s words found their mark, not for what he said, but for what he seemed to represent: control, clarity, and a kind of reluctant bravery. After trying backchannel conversations with White House officials, a letter — apparently sent by mistake — with unprecedented demands forced Garber’s hand.