Trump administration's adversary in the battle over higher education narrows in on Harvard board chair Penny Pritzker
A heated showdown between Harvard University and the federal government - particularly the Trump administration - is escalating. Harvard is taking the government to court over a funding freeze worth nearly $2.2 billion, stemming from a dispute over academic freedom and diversity initiatives.
Billionaire hedge fund CEO Bill Ackman, a frequent critic of his alma mater, has joined the fray, calling for a change in leadership at Harvard. Education Secretary Linda McMahon has echoed his sentiments, fueling the fire.
The controversy surrounds Penny Pritzker, the head of Harvard's governing board and a former Democratic Cabinet official. Since taking office in 2024, she has faced criticism for Harvard's handling of a pro-Palestinian encampment and protests following a Hamas attack on Israel and Israel's retaliatory siege of Gaza. In response, Ackman has demanded Pritzker's resignation, claiming a litany of failings warrant a leadership change at Harvard.
The heat on Harvard is intensifying, with the freeze on federal funds likely to last through the summer. Pritzker, a Harvard alumna and one of the world's richest women, now finds herself fighting to maintain her role at the university she earned her bachelor's in economics from 44 years ago.
Pritzker's public footprint has been relatively light, though she has become a crucial player in Ukraine's economic recovery under President Joe Biden. After serving as Barack Obama's commerce secretary, she now wields significant influence despite infrequent wide-ranging interviews about Harvard.
The Pritzker family has a long history with Trump, dating back to the 1970s and a partnership between the family's Hyatt hotel chain and Trump's first major development in Manhattan. The partnership soured after a series of legal wranglings, but a settlement was reached in 1995[1].
Despite Pritzker's leadership facing criticism, her time at the helm of Harvard has been marked by a stance on academic independence. In the face of the funding freeze and demands from the Trump administration, Harvard President Alan Garber refused to comply, stating, "The University will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights." This move led to a lawsuit to restore funding and criticism from Ackman, who argued that a more conciliatory approach could have avoided a protracted legal battle[2].
The Harvard Corporation, of which Pritzker is senior fellow, is known for its secrecy, making it challenging to assess her leadership[1]. Early in the second Trump administration, discussions had taken place between Harvard officials and federal authorities about addressing antisemitism on campus, but tensions escalated when the White House sent demands for school governance changes and the elimination of diversity initiatives[1].
[1] - https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/01/us/politics/harvard-trump-administration-fight.html[2] - https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2023/0425/Harvard-vs-the-Trump-administration-A-student-s-view-of-a-dispute-over-academic-freedom
- The Pritzker family's history with politics extends back to the 1970s, including a partnership with Donald Trump's first major development in Manhattan, although their relationship soured in subsequent years.
- Penny Pritzker, senior fellow at Harvard Corporation and a former Democratic Cabinet official, has faced criticism for Harvard's handling of a pro-Palestinian encampment and protests, which stemmed from a Hamas attack on Israel and Israel's subsequent siege of Gaza.
- Despite the ongoing controversy and demands for her resignation from billionaire alumnus Bill Ackman, Pritzker has maintained a stance on academic independence at Harvard, refusing to comply with the Trump administration's demands to surrender independence or relinquish constitutional rights.
- As the general news regarding the funding freeze at Harvard continues to unfold, stakeholders such as Ackman are likely to call for Pritzker to relinquish her position, citing her handling of the pro-Palestinian encampment and protests as a sign of failure in her leadership.
