WASHINGTON: The U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) said on Monday it has launched an investigation to examine whether some of Harvard University’s financial aid programs discriminate. The department said the purpose of the investigation is to determine whether its financial aid programs and practices in China exclude U.S. citizen students.Harvard said Monday it “does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity or national origin in allocating financial aid.” The Ivy League school in Cambridge, Mass., is reviewing the Justice Department’s latest letter to Harvard and will engage with the administration on the topic, a university spokesman said.U.S. law requires universities to report annual donations from foreign sources exceeding $250,000. Harvard has previously said it has submitted reports “as part of compliance with the law” for decades.The school has also previously viewed the Trump administration’s investigation as “an act of retaliation for Harvard’s refusal to give up our independence and constitutional rights.” An agreement to resolve the Trump administration’s broader investigation into Harvard remains elusive.The Trump administration has threatened universities with investigations and funding suspensions over a range of issues. These include pro-Palestinian protests against Israeli attacks on Gaza, transgender policies and climate plans. Last month, a judge blocked the Trump administration from implementing a plan to ban foreigners from entering the United States to study at Harvard University.(This is a Reuters report)
