Donald Trump’s administration has stepped up its pressure on Harvard University by notifying the government’s accreditation agency that the Ivy League institution has violated federal anti-discrimination laws.
In a letter to the New England Commission of Higher Education, the body responsible for accrediting Harvard, the departments of education and health and human services on Wednesday wrote: “There is strong evidence to suggest the school may no longer meet the commission’s accreditation standards.”
The formal notification follows the White House’s ruling at the end of last month that the university had violated US civil rights law and could lead to penalties including the revocation of its status as a university. This would make it ineligible for federal funding, including grants and student loans.