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In the midst of the Trump administration’s assault on scientific research, another academic casualty has received far less attention.

In April, the Trump administration cancelled almost all of the grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities, affecting humanities programs nationwide. Professors and projects have lost funding and some researchers have resorted to crowdfunding their projects. All of these developments come in the context of long run declining numbers of humanities concentrators.

Trump’s attack on the humanities has directly affected Harvard where we’ve lost $360,000 worth of federal grants for humanities scholarship. Yet that aspect of the story has garnered far less attention than the media buzz surrounding cuts to Harvard’s science research. Our University would do well to stop neglecting the threats to humanities education, and start publicly taking up the banner of the humanities.

The Harvard website’s landing page currently prominently features information about Harvard’s contributions to cardiovascular disease treatment. A recent article in the Harvard Gazette about Harvard’s court victory doesn’t mention humanities subjects. And in an NPR interview this past May, University President Alan M. Garber ’76 emphasized Harvard’s contributions to science and technology with no mention of the humanities whatsoever.

From a public relations perspective, it is understandable that the University would focus on cuts to the sciences. Who wouldn’t lament jeopardized cancer research? But Harvard must speak out with equal vigor for the humanities.

Harvard College’s self-proclaimed mission is “to educate the citizens and citizen-leaders for our society… through our commitment to the transformative power of a liberal arts and sciences education.” If liberal arts and sciences are such an integral part of the Harvard college experience, why has there not been a similar expression of grief about the loss of humanities funding?

The existence of strong humanities education at Harvard is essential. The humanities teach us about how we should act ethically as human beings. They help us understand our very essence and existence as living creatures. They are timeless, revealing truths which are relevant to every generation.

Furthermore, the Harvard student experience should be transformative. Students should emerge prepared to tackle the challenges they will face with thoughtfulness, deep knowledge, and a strong sense of purpose.

One would hope that students would graduate Harvard having pondered what brings them meaning and joy in life, that they would have considered the values by which they want to live. These questions are much less likely to result from studies in the sciences but are crucial as students make the transition to adulthood.

Of course, one can argue that the sciences provide more utilitarian benefit for the world than the humanities, and it is logical to allocate funds according to the number of students in a field. But everyone can agree that it is a tragic loss if Harvard, a liberal arts college, begins to celebrate only its scientific breakthroughs and forgets the other areas in which students and faculty excel.

The lack of emphasis on the humanities is especially troubling as Harvard has seen a decline in these fields more broadly. As far back as 2013, a faculty committee released a report titled “Mapping the Future” which discussed a decline in humanities concentrators, including among those who previously expressed interest in the field. A decade later, The Crimson’s coverage of the Class of 2023 revealed that only 13 percent of graduating seniors studied humanities concentrations.

There are both symbolic and practical ways that Harvard can remedy these trends. For starters, Harvard can ensure its internal messaging celebrates the work of humanities scholars and elevates it as a prestigious site of scholarly inquiry. Harvard should also guarantee that in this era of funding cuts, humanities departments continue to receive the funding streams they need to offer appealing courses, retain excellent faculty, and foster student research opportunities.

Harvard exists to promote the highest intellectual pursuit in every discipline — it can’t leave the humanities behind.

Miriam E. Goldberger ’28, a Crimson Editorial editor, lives in Dunster House.