Harvard University announced on Wednesday it will turn down $8.7m in federal coronavirus relief, a day after Donald Trump criticized the wealthy Ivy League school over taxpayer money it stood to receive.
What We Know:
- Officials at Harvard said the school still faces significant financial challenges due to the pandemic but will refuse the money over concerns that “intense focus by politicians” will undermine the relief program created by Congress.
- “While we understand any reallocation of these resources is a matter for the Department of Education, we hope that special consideration will be given to Massachusetts institutions that are struggling to serve their communities and meet the needs of their students through these difficult and challenging times,” Harvard said in a statement.
- Congress is offering $14bn to the nation’s colleges and universities as part of a $2.2tn rescue package. Schools were allotted varying sums based on their size and the number of students they teach from poorer backgrounds.
- But Trump said on Tuesday that Harvard “shouldn’t be taking” its share because it has such deep financial reserves. It echoed concerns from other critics, including some alumni, who said Harvard doesn’t need the money and can rely on its nearly $40bn endowment.
- Harvard University had earlier rejected calls to return the stimulus funding, saying it planned “to direct 100% of the funds to financial assistance to students, and will not be using any of the funds to cover institutional costs”.
- The university said it received the grant through the educational relief scheme that was part of a stimulus passed at the end of March, which also included a fund aimed at helping small businesses.
- The education secretary, Betsy DeVos, on Wednesday said other rich schools should reject the funding. Affluent schools that do not primarily serve low-income students “do not need or deserve additional taxpayer funds”, she said in a statement.
“Schools with large endowments should not apply for funds so more can be given to students who need support the most. It’s also important for Congress to change the law to make sure no more taxpayer funds go to elite, wealthy institutions,” advised DeVos.
