Harvard president reportedly brushing off settlement talks in favor of court battle

Harvard University is reportedly not willing to settle with the Trump administration and will instead focus on challenging its actions in court.

Harvard President Alan Garver reportedly pushed back against claims that the Ivy League school was close to reaching a deal with the administration and said Harvard may seek to resolve the ongoing dispute through the courts rather than direct negotiations, according to The Harvard Crimson, which cited three sources familiar with the talks. The university president claimed the reports about Harvard considering the $500 million deal were “false” and were started by White House officials.

Talks of the potentially imminent deal were first reported by The New York Times, which cited four sources familiar with the negotiations. The Times reportedly stands by the accuracy of the report, according to The Crimson.

Unlike Columbia University, which recently settled with the administration in a $200 million deal, Harvard is reportedly not willing to appoint an outside monitor to oversee the university.

Harvard did not respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.

The White House did not directly address the claims made by Garber, but principal deputy press secretary Harrison Fields told the DCNF they are “continuing to negotiate with Harvard to deliver on POTUS’s agendas including combatting antisemitism, eliminating illegal racial preferences, and protecting our national security.”

The university has already brought several legal complaints to the courts, pushing back against the funding cuts and the administration’s attempt to slash Harvard’s supply of foreign students.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently referred Harvard to the Department of Justice (DOJ) due to ongoing litigation against the administration. HHS claimed the actions were proof Harvard’s compliance “cannot be obtained voluntarily” and said the school showed deliberate indifference towards antisemitic student-on-student harassment.”

The Trump administration has revoked more than $2 billion from the university, made several attempts to revoke its ability to host foreign students and targeted its accreditation status.  Harvard refused to agree to the administration’s proposed resolution in April, saying it “will not surrender” its academic freedom and free speech rights but asked instead to be trusted to address the issue on its own. The administration immediately met the request with further funding cuts.

So far, the administration’s attack on Harvard’s foreign students has been repeatedly blocked in court, but the State Department has since opened an investigation into the university’s use of the foreign student visa program.

U.S. District Court Judge Allison Burroughs, an Obama-appointed judge who blocked Trump’s 2017 travel ban, is currently hearing a case on the university’s funding.

Harvard is also facing federal scrutiny over its alleged illegal use of racial preferences and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices and “inaccurate” foreign funding disclosures.

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