Harvard University will refuse to comply with the demands set out by the American government, President Alan Garber announced on Monday, putting $9 billion in federal funding in limbo. 

Harvard is breaking with the decision of its Ivy League peer, Columbia University, which yielded to the demands of the administration when faced with similar stakes last month. Mr. Garber’s decision comes two weeks after the administration launched a review of $9 billion in grants and contracts issued by the federal government to Harvard.

That comes amid the university’s “failure to protect students on campus from anti-Semitic discrimination,” the department of education wrote in a letter to the university. The administration followed up by supplying a list of demands for the university to implement in exchange for preserving its federal funding. The proposed changes include banning masking during protests, enforcing existing disciplinary policies, and dismantling diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, among others. 

On Friday, the administration expanded its list of required reforms, calling on Harvard to audit its academic programs and departments and to reform those that “fuel antisemitic harassment or reflect ideological capture.” The government also directed Harvard to monitor and manage the “viewpoint diversity” of the student body and the faculty, among other additional demands. 

Mr. Garber, however, derided the proposal as an indication that the government’s “intention is not to work with us to address antisemitism in a cooperative and constructive manner.” While he concedes that some of the demands are aimed at combatting antisemitism, he charges that the majority represent “direct governmental regulation of the ‘intellectual conditions’ at Harvard.

Mr. Garber further challenges the government’s authority to issue such a proposition, arguing that the move violates Harvard’s First Amendment rights and exceeds the limits of the government’s power to revoke funding under Title VI of the Civil Rights act. 

“The university will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights,” Harvard’s lawyers wrote in a letter to the government. “Neither Harvard nor any other private university can allow itself to be taken over by the federal government.” 

Representative Elise Stefanik, a member of the House Committee for Education and the Workforce who has been outspoken in her criticism of campus antisemitism, responded to the announcement by branding Harvard “the epitome of the moral and academic rot in higher education.” Ms. Stefanik, an alumna of the Cambridge, Massachusetts-based school herself, then called on the government to “totally cut off U.S. taxpayer funding” to the school. “Defund Harvard,” she declared this afternoon.

Harvard’s act of defiance, however, drew praise from Democratic lawmakers. “This is how we fight back,” wrote Massachusetts senator, Edward Markey. “Congratulations to Harvard for refusing to relinquish its constitutional rights to Trump’s authoritarianism,” proclaimed Vermont senator, Bernie Sanders, who further urged other universities to “follow their lead.” 

Harvard’s decision to reject the administration’s deal comes just a few weeks after Columbia University appeared to cede to the demands of the government when faced with a similar funding freeze. However, a leaked conversation between then-President, Katrina Armstrong, and 75 faculty members, cast doubt on the school’s commitment to uphold their end of the agreement. 

During the closed door meeting, Ms. Armstrong reportedly promised that there would be “no change to masking” and “no change to our admissions procedures,” both of which were demanded by the administration. Ms. Armstrong, receiving a barrage of criticism from all sides, stepped down from her post in March. 

Harvard’s act of rebellion may set the stage for other universities to launch similar challenges. Princeton University, Cornell University, Northwestern University, the University of Pennsylvania, among others, have all had their federal funding frozen for reasons related to campus antisemitism, DEI policies, or transgender student inclusion in sports.