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The Cambridge City Council voted unanimously on Monday to call on the Harvard Corporation — the University’s highest governing body — to refuse the Trump administration’s demands as $9 billion in government funding hangs in the balance.
The resolution, a late addition to the City Council agenda announced hours before the meeting, was originally co-sponsored by City Councilors Patricia M. “Patty” Nolan ’80, Burhan Azeem, Sumbul Siddiqui, and Vice Mayor Marc C. McGovern. But in a show of strong support, the other five councilors asked to be added as co-sponsors before the order was adopted.
The order urges, “in the strongest possible terms, the Harvard Corporation to stand up in defense of the values that are fundamental to both the University and our democracy,” in resisting Trump’s demands to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, ban masks, and enact sweeping governance reform.
The Council asked Harvard to “use all measures possible, including the University’s endowment funds, if necessary, to safeguard academic independence, the rule of law, and democracy.”
“It is not hyperbole to draw a parallel between the current administration’s demands and the appeasement policies of the 1930s, when several European nations conceded to the demands of Hitler, contributing to the horrific rise of the Nazi regime and World War II,” they wrote.
Nolan explained on Monday that while the Council usually refrains from commenting on internal Harvard decisions, the stakes of the question before Garber warranted a break from precedent.
“Depending on their response, it could deeply affect the city,” Nolan said.
While the Trump administration has not given a deadline for their demanded changes, officials from three government agencies wrote in a Thursday letter to Havard President Alan M. Garber ’76 and Corporation Senior Fellow Penny S. Pritkzer ’81 that compliance is necessary for Harvard’s “continued financial relationship with the United States government.”
City Manager Yi-An Huang ’05, who the order requested coordinate a “united front” from government officials, spoke in favor of the motion Monday evening.
“This is about more than just a vague list of demands and a big and scary stick,” Huang said. “I care because Harvard is our community, and I also care because Harvard needs to be the leader that I know it can be, an example that inspires solidarity in a united front against these unlawful actions.”
The Cambridge City Clerk will send a copy of the resolution to the Corporation, Governor Maura T Healey ’92, the federal delegation, and the state delegation.
Both the Corporation and the Board of Overseers, the second-highest governing body, met over the weekend, but neither Garber nor Pritzker has issued a public response to the demands since they were announced.
But with the resolution, the City Council added to a growing number of voices — including faculty and student protesters — that have called on Harvard not to bow to the demands, even if that means the University takes a serious financial hit.
“Are there things that Harvard could be doing better? Absolutely. But we need to call out what the federal administration is doing,” Huang said at the meeting. “This is an attack on the independence and freedom of universities. It’s an attack on learning and research and science that invents life saving medicines, breakthrough innovations, and new technologies.”
“It’s an attack on the very heart of Harvard’s soul, Veritas,” he added.
— Staff writer Shawn A. Boehmer can be reached at shawn.boehmer@thecrimson.com. Follow him on X @ShawnBoehmer.
— Staff writer Jack B. Reardon can be reached at jack.reardon@thecrimson.com. Follow him on X @JackBReardon.
