The man who stood up to Trump

The Hindu

a day ago

In May last year, as Alan Garber stepped up to the podium on Harvard Alumni Day, a woman suddenly emerged from the crowd and poured gold glitter all over his head. She then began demanding the release of monkeys from the university's laboratories. With his face still covered in shimmering flecks, Mr. Garber calmly assured the attendees that he was unharmed and then declared, 'I hope that Harvard will always continue to be a place where… free speech continues to thrive.'
Unbeknownst to him at the time, the physician and economist would soon become a central figure in the pushback against the Trump administration's escalating assault on academic freedom across American university campuses.
The latest salvo in this ongoing conflict came when the Department of Homeland Security revoked Harvard's certification to enrol international students. The move prompted an immediate lawsuit from the university and a swift restraining order from a federal judge. Though the decision is interim, it brought palpable relief to students as the university held its commencement on May 29. In his address, Mr. Garber did not refer to the standoff directly, but his words struck a defiant note: Harvard, he said, welcomes students from around the world 'just as it should be'.
Mr. Garber's association with Harvard spans over half a century, beginning in 1973 when he enrolled as an undergraduate. He went on to earn three degrees from the Ivy League institution — a bachelor's, a master's, and a doctorate, all in economics. He later pursued a medical degree from Stanford University, where he eventually built a distinguished academic career spanning over 25 years.
Presidency forged in crisis
In 2011, then-Harvard president Drew Gilpin Faust invited him to serve as provost, the university's chief academic officer. Reflecting on the decision in an interview with The New York Times, she recalled being impressed by his calm demeanour and ability to build consensus in moments of conflict. Over the next 12 years, Mr. Garber solidified his reputation as a formidable senior administrator while maintaining a low public profile.
By 2023, he was preparing to step away from administrative duties and return to teaching. However, fate had other plans. That year, Claudine Gay made history as Harvard's first Black female president. But her tenure came to an abrupt end just six months later, following allegations of plagiarism and mounting criticism over her handling of alleged anti-Semitism on campus. Soon thereafter, Mr. Garber found himself suddenly thrust into the spotlight, tasked with steering the university through one of its most turbulent chapters. In his first interview as interim president with The Harvard Crimson, he candidly acknowledged that he was assuming office at a 'painful and disorienting time for Harvard'.
One of his first administrative decisions was to establish twin presidential task forces to address anti-Semitism and Islamophobia on campus. His appointment of Derek J. Penslar, a professor of Jewish history, as co-chair of the anti-Semitism task force drew immediate criticism, largely due to Mr. Penslar's prior writings that were critical of the Israeli government. Just over a month later, Mr. Garber made another contentious decision by appointing John F. Manning, a conservative law professor, as interim provost. This move stirred quiet discontent among the university's predominantly liberal faculty.
Around the same time, Harvard adopted a new policy of not issuing official statements unrelated to its 'core functions', following the recommendations of a faculty committee.
Its largest academic division also announced that it would no longer require job applicants to submit written statements affirming their commitment to diversity.
What ultimately solidified Mr. Garber's reputation as a resolute leader unafraid to make unpopular decisions for the university's betterment was his handling of the pro-Palestinian encampment protests that spread across campuses. While many peer institutions responded with police crackdowns, he opted for restraint and dialogue. The encampment at Harvard concluded peacefully after he agreed to expedite petitions for reinstating suspended students and facilitated a meeting between protesters and the university's governing bodies to discuss divestment. To the Harvard Corporation, his measured response exemplified the leadership the university needed. Consequently, on August 2, 2024, Mr. Garber was appointed president through the 2026–27 academic year.
During his 2024 campaign, Mr. Trump pledged to reclaim American universities from 'radical Left and Marxist maniacs', indicating that reining in academia would be a priority in his second term. Initially, Mr. Garber avoided confrontation with the new administration. When the White House announced in March that it was reviewing $9 billion in grants and contracts over Harvard's alleged failure to protect students from anti-Semitic discrimination, his response was measured rather than defiant. He expressed a willingness to work with the federal task force in outlining the university's efforts to combat anti-Semitism. In a rare personal disclosure, he revealed that he had encountered anti-Semitism himself, even while serving as president.
However, the administration's next move marked a sharp escalation. On April 11, an email from federal officials laid out sweeping demands: federal oversight of faculty hiring, mandatory reporting of misconduct by international students, and the appointment of an external overseer to enforce 'viewpoint diversity' within academic departments. Three days later, Harvard released a searing letter penned by Mr. Garber. 'No government — regardless of which party is in power — should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue,' he wrote.
Legal fight with government
In the days that followed, federal officials announced the suspension of $2.2 billion in grants and $60 million in contracts awarded to the university, alongside threats to revoke its tax-exempt status. Harvard responded by suing the Trump administration, accusing it of exerting financial coercion to interfere with academic governance. The 51-page lawsuit also accused the administration of violating the First Amendment by restricting what Harvard's faculty could teach students.
Harvard has already announced cuts to degree-granting programmes and halted faculty recruitment. It is also staring down a catastrophic Republican-backed endowment tax Bill. Although most of the administration's sanctions are being challenged in court, the litigation will take months if not years. Even if the courts ultimately side with Harvard, appeals are almost certain, and some hits to funding may be irreversible.
Mr. Garber, too, has been compelled to concede ground. Last month, he announced that Harvard would undertake reforms to 'focus on individuals and their unique characteristics rather than their race'. Soon after, the university cancelled graduation ceremonies for affinity groups. His strategy reflects a delicate balancing act — shielding the institution from political assault while undertaking reforms that may ensure its survival.