Crimson staff writer
Laurel M. Shugart
Latest Content
Judge Dismisses Assault Charges Against Harvard Grad Students Involved in Clash at Oct. 2023 Protest
A Boston Municipal Court judge on Friday dismissed the assault and battery charges in a case against two Harvard graduate students who were charged following an altercation at a pro-Palestine protest last year.
Driver Responsible for Fatal Bicycle Crash Pleads Not Guilty to Homicide, Negligence
The driver who fatally struck cyclist John H. Corcoran ’84 last year pleaded not guilty to vehicular homicide and negligence on Monday, appearing in court for the first time since the Middlesex District Attorney’s office sought charges four months ago.
Trial in AAUP Lawsuit Concludes With Clash Over First Amendment Rights of Noncitizens
Closing arguments for a faculty group’s lawsuit against the Trump administration’s immigration policies concluded on Monday, leaving the judge to sort through evidence from the two-week trial and dozens of sealed records before making a final ruling.
Judge To Consider Dismissing Claims Against Harvard in Title IX Suit Over Trans Swimmer’s Participation
A federal judge is considering Harvard’s request to be dismissed from a lawsuit filed by three former University of Pennsylvania swimmers alleging it violated Title IX regulations by allowing a transgender swimmer to compete in the 2022 Ivy League Swimming and Diving Championships.
What to Know as Harvard Heads to Court for Key Hearing in Federal Funding Lawsuit
Lawyers for Harvard will present oral arguments against the Trump administration’s research funding cuts at a federal courthouse in Boston on Monday morning. Here’s what you need to know.
In AAUP Trial, State Dept. Official Says Criticizing Israel Could Be Grounds for Visa Revocation
A senior State Department official testified Friday that some claims and phrases common to pro-Palestine campus advocacy — including criticism of the state of Israel and calls for universities to divest from Israel — all “could be” grounds for revoking a noncitizen’s visa.
DOGE Instructions and a White House Deadline: How the Government Canceled Harvard’s Grants
More than 2,000 pages of court documents present a new window into the government’s process for terminating research grants to Harvard — and show that the Department of Government Efficiency helped facilitate the operation.
DHS Has Shifted Focus to Immigration Cases Since Trump’s Election, Officials Say in AAUP Trial
Three Department of Homeland Security officials testified Tuesday that their department had noticeably shifted its focus from enforcing criminal laws to addressing immigration cases in the months since President Donald Trump’s election.
Harvard AAUP Suit Mired in Dispute Over Government Documents as Trial Nears End
A Harvard faculty group’s lawsuit over the Trump administration’s immigration policies entered its final week of trial on Monday. But as the trial inches closer to its conclusion, it has become mired in a clash over what evidence the government is required to turn over.
DHS Reports on Student, Faculty Protesters Shown in Court for AAUP Trial
A federal judge ordered that five Department of Homeland Security reports on potential criminal activity by student and faculty protesters be shown in court Thursday, overruling the federal government’s repeated requests to keep the documents from the public eye.
Cambridge Police Install Surveillance Cameras in Central Square for Pilot Program
The Cambridge Police Department has installed six surveillance cameras in Central Square over the last month as part of a controversial pilot program. The camera installation was delayed after technical issues prevented an earlier launch in April.
Government Used Canary Mission List To Create Reports on Over 100 Student Protesters, DHS Official Testifies
After a lawsuit brought by a Harvard faculty group, a senior Department of Homeland Security official testified in court Wednesday that the government used names from a list compiled by the doxxing website Canary Mission to create reports on more than 100 student protesters nationwide.
Broad Institute Lays Off 75 Workers in Cost-Cutting Wave Amid Trump Funding Threats
The Broad Institute — a biomedical research center affiliated with Harvard and MIT — laid off 75 employees and slashed non-personnel expenses late last month in an effort to shore up its finances as the Trump administration continues to threaten federal funding for scientific research.
Cambridge City Councilor Paul Toner, Facing Charges in Brothel Case, Will Not Seek Reelection
Cambridge City Councilor Paul F. Toner announced on Monday that he will not seek reelection after facing charges related to patronizing a high-end brothel, setting up a potentially fierce battle for an open seat on the nine-member City Council.
As Trial Begins in AAUP Lawsuit, Federal Lawyers Argue ‘Ideological Deportation’ Policy Does Not Exist
As opening arguments began in a lawsuit filed by the American Association of University Professors against the Trump administration, lawyers for the two parties clashed over First Amendment protections for noncitizens.