Latest news with #Ucla
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Harvard president claims 'unfounded retaliation' amid Trump funding feud
Harvard University President Alan Garber on Monday sent a letter to Education Secretary Linda McMahon criticizing the Trump administration's actions against the school while noting both groups share "common ground" on a number of issues. "We share common ground on a number of critical issues, including the importance of ending antisemitism and other bigotry on campus," Garber said. "Like you, I believe that Harvard must foster an academic environment that encourages freedom of thought and expression, and that we should embrace a multiplicity of viewpoints rather than focusing our attention on narrow orthodoxies." However, Harvard's goals are undermined and threatened "by the federal government's overreach into the constitutional freedoms of private universities and its continuing disregard of Harvard's compliance with the law," Garber said. California Sheriff Slams 'Meritless' Ucla Student Lawsuit Against Police Who Dismantled Anti-israel Encampment "Consistent with the law and with our own values, we continue to pursue needed reforms, doing so in consultation with our stakeholders and always in compliance with the law," he wrote. "But Harvard will not surrender its core, legally-protected principles out of fear of unfounded retaliation by the federal government." Garber's remarks are in response to a scathing letter last week from McMahon telling the university that it will no longer be eligible for federal grants over its handling of antisemitism on campus. Read On The Fox News App "Receiving such taxpayer funds is a privilege, not a right," she wrote. "Yet instead of using these funds to advance the education of its students, Harvard is engaging in a systemic pattern of violating federal law. Where do many of these 'students' come from, who are they, how do they get into Harvard, or even into our country – and why is there so much HATE?" Israel's President Releases Blistering Statement On Us University Encampments: 'Resurgence Of Antisemitism' "These are questions that must be answered, among many more, but the biggest question of all is, why will Harvard not give straightforward answers to the American public?" she added. The Trump administration has frozen $2.2 billion in funding to the university and threatened to revoke its tax-exempt status. Trump Says He'll Revoke Harvard's Tax-exempt Status In his letter, Garber listed some of the actions Harvard has taken to address issues on campus, including installing new deans and clarifying the school's discipline structures and procedures. He noted that Harvard, like many universities, has work to do to foster intellectual diversity on campus. Garber also pushed back on McMahon's claims that Harvard is a "partisan" institution. "I must refute your claim that Harvard is a partisan institution. It is neither Republican nor Democratic," he wrote. "It is not an arm of any other political party or movement. Nor will it ever be. Harvard is a place to bring people of all backgrounds together to learn in an inclusive environment where ideas flourish regardless of whether they are deemed 'conservative,' 'liberal,' or something else, a place where assumptions and claims are tested and challenged, respectfully and thoughtfully, in pursuit of knowledge and truth."Original article source: Harvard president claims 'unfounded retaliation' amid Trump funding feud
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Swing state outlaws college protest encampments amid nationwide campus crackdown on anti-Israel agitators
Arizona lawmakers have outlawed encampments on public university campuses as protests continue to erupt at schools across the United States. Democratic Arizona Gov. Kate Hobbs last week signed House Bill 2880, which bars people "from establishing or occupying an encampment on a university or community college campus." The law also requires school administrators to direct people who set up encampments to "immediately dismantle" them or vacate the campus. Those who set up encampments may be held liable for damages to campuses, and those who do not leave are subject to trespassing charges. Law enforcement agencies "must enforce the prohibition on establishing or occupying an encampment," the law states, and they have "the authority to remove an encampment and any individual or group from campus that has violated the prohibition and refused to comply with the direction to leave." California Sheriff Slams 'Meritless' Ucla Student Lawsuit Against Police Who Dismantled Anti-israel Encampment Democratic Arizona State Rep. Alma Hernandez introduced the bill, saying in a statement when it passed the Education Committee in February that the legislation "is not about silencing anyone's right to protest." Read On The Fox News App "You still have the right to protest peacefully, but encampments do not have a legal right to be on campus," Hernandez said at the time. What's The Penalty For Anti-israel Protesters? Ucla's Warning Includes 1 Crucial Word Hernandez added that the idea behind the legislation stemmed from the Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel when Hamas, a designated terrorist organization, killed 1,200 people and kidnapped hundreds of hostages from a music festival. Hamas is a designated terrorist organization that the Department of National Intelligence describes as "the largest and most capable militant group in the Palestinian territories and one of the territories' two major political parties." The offensive sparked the ongoing war between Israel and the terror group. Meanwhile, students at colleges and universities across the country have participated in large-scale, anti-Israel protests that have, at times, resulted in physical clashes between students and police. Israel's President Releases Blistering Statement On Us University Encampments: 'Resurgence Of Antisemitism' "After October 7th, our universities faced significant challenges as they tried negotiating with individuals who made unrealistic demands and refused to remove their encampments," Hernandez said. "I witnessed the impact of this firsthand. As a student and a faculty member, I firmly believe in the importance of civil conversations and peaceful protests—these fundamental rights protected by the First Amendment. However, encampments have no legal standing on our campuses.""We must prioritize accountability and ensure that our public institutions remain focused on providing a safe and secure environment," she continued. "These institutions' primary obligation is to support teaching and learning for ALL students. Jewish students should not have to hide or take alternate routes just to get to class." Ucla Falls To Anarchy After Counterprotesters Confront Anti-israeli Encampment: 'Horrific Acts Of Violence' Various Democratic lawmakers and activist organizations opposed Hernandez's bill, including CAIR-AZ and ACLU Arizona, which described the bill as an effort to "curb free speech at a time when we must firmly protect people's right to dissent." President Donald Trump has threatened to pull federal funding from schools over antisemitism concerns and deport students who participate in demonstrations expressing support for terrorist organizations. "To all the resident aliens who joined in the pro-jihadist protests, we put you on notice: come 2025, we will find you, and we will deport you," the president said in a Jan. 30 fact sheet on the executive order. "I will also quickly cancel the student visas of all Hamas sympathizers on college campuses, which have been infested with radicalism like never before."Original article source: Swing state outlaws college protest encampments amid nationwide campus crackdown on anti-Israel agitators
