Picture courtesy of Harvard

 

A bombshell ruling rocked the academic world as a federal judge sided with Harvard University against the Trump administration’s bid to unlawfully freeze over US$2 billion in research funding. US District Judge Allison Burroughs delivered a sharp rebuke, labelling the administration's actions a thinly veiled ideological attack on elite institutions.

 

Burroughs, appointed by Barack Obama, dismissed claims that antisemitism concerns justified the funding halt. She declared this an excuse to target prestigious universities, risking key research and neglecting constitutional protections. “Their actions jeopardised decades of research,” she explained in her detailed judgement.

 

Harvard stood alone among universities in directly challenging this freeze in court, marking the verdict as a watershed moment for academic independence. This battle underscores an intense struggle over academic freedom and the role of federal oversight, thrusting Harvard into the heart of a significant national debate, reported CNN.

 

The rejected "Freeze Order," initiated in April, threatened to withhold crucial multiyear grants critical to Harvard’s operations. The ruling now prohibits the government from further financial retaliation or discrimination against the university under questionable pretences.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from CNN 2025-09-04

 

 

Well done Harvard.

 

 

3 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Well done Harvard.

 

 

Finally some checks are starting to take effect!

Once again extreme left wing activist judges running the US instead of the democratically elected government.

 

Shameful. 

Fantastic news, anytime a battle is won against this regressive wannabe autocrat who's currently in the White House it's a victory for the American people. For those that are dogmatic enough to believe in Trump's sillier policies, one must take into account the fact that research conducted within America's major universities has resulted in major breakthroughs in so many different areas of science and technology, which has made a dramatic contribution to the US economy and its growth. Defunding that research is a mistake only elemental dummies would engage in. Especially when they're done for highly partisan reasons. 

 

 

3 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Fantastic news

 

Really?

 

A left wing activist judge over-ruling the Democratically elected government to restore funding to a radical left wing University that had funding withdrawn due to anti-semitism is fantastic news?

 

I guess it is if you support anti-semitic institutions and have no respect for Democracy. 

A worthy victory, unfortunately it will be short lived once an appeal is fast tracked to Trump-loaded Supreme Court. 

 

 

It's wrong in so many ways for Trump to interfere  with institutions of higher learning.

 

 

1 minute ago, JonnyF said:

 

Really?

 

A left wing activist judge over-ruling the Democratically elected government to restore funding to a radical left wing University that had funding withdrawn due to anti-semitism is fantastic news?

 

I guess it is if you support anti-semitic institutions and have no respect for Democracy. 

 

 

How do you figure Harvard is antisemitic?

 

 

2 minutes ago, In Full Agreement said:

 

 

It's wrong in so many ways for Trump to interfere  with institutions of higher learning.

 

 

 

Learning how to be a rabid lefty anti-semite.

If a university tolerates anti-semitism within its grounds, no matter where  its source , then it should not expect the federal government to continue to supply taxpayer dollars to support any of its various academic areas.

Naturally, a private university is entitled to be as anti-semitic as it pleases when using its own money....

1 minute ago, In Full Agreement said:

 

 

How do you figure Harvard is antisemitic?

 

 

 

Ask Harvard themselves.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0eljwdp545o

 

3 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

 

Really?

 

A left wing activist judge over-ruling the Democratically elected government to restore funding to a radical left wing University that had funding withdrawn due to anti-semitism is fantastic news?

 

I guess it is if you support anti-semitic institutions and have no respect for Democracy. 

That must be some great Kool-Aid you are consuming. Keep watching the podcasts and listening to Leavitt. 

 

 

Just now, spidermike007 said:

That must be some great Kool-Aid you are consuming. Keep watching the podcasts and listening to Leavitt. 

 

 

 

No intelligent response?

The ruling can be appealed

1 minute ago, spidermike007 said:

That must be some great Kool-Aid you are consuming. Keep watching the podcasts and listening to Leavitt. 

 

 

Extreme antisemitism took place on campus. Arent you jewish?

3 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

 

No intelligent response?

Sure. Let me hold your hand for a moment and coach you through a very elemental lesson in economics 101.

 

The crucial importance of the research university as a key asset in achieving economic prosperity and security is widely understood, as evidenced by the efforts that nations around the globe are making to create and sustain institutions of world-class quality. Yet, while America’s research universities remain the strongest in the world, they are threatened by many forces: national and state economic challenges, the emergence of global competitors, changing student demographics, and rapidly evolving technologies. And even as other countries have emulated the United States in building research universities to drive economic growth, America’s commitment to sustaining the research partnership that built a great industrial nation seems to have waned.

During past eras of challenge and change, our national leaders have acted decisively to enable universities to enhance American prosperity and security. While the country was engaged in the Civil War, Congress passed the Morrill Land-Grant Act of 1862 to forge a partnership between the federal government, the states, higher education, and industry aimed at creating universities that could extend educational opportunities to the working class while conducting the applied research that would enable Americans to become world leaders in agriculture and industry. Eighty years later, emerging from the Great Depression and World War II, Congress invested heavily in basic research and graduate education to build the world’s finest research universities, capable of providing the steady stream of well-educated graduates and scientific and technological innovations central to our robust economy, vibrant culture, vital health enterprise, and national security in a complex, competitive, and challenging world.

3 minutes ago, angryguy said:

Extreme antisemitism took place on campus. Arent you jewish?

Yes. And I was not offended by the Palestinian support. As a Centrist American Jew I myself support Palestinian statehood and I'm adamantly opposed to Israeli genocide. 

3 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Sure. Let me hold your hand for a moment and coach you through a very elemental lesson in economics 101.

 

The crucial importance of the research university as a key asset in achieving economic prosperity and security is widely understood, as evidenced by the efforts that nations around the globe are making to create and sustain institutions of world-class quality. Yet, while America’s research universities remain the strongest in the world, they are threatened by many forces: national and state economic challenges, the emergence of global competitors, changing student demographics, and rapidly evolving technologies. And even as other countries have emulated the United States in building research universities to drive economic growth, America’s commitment to sustaining the research partnership that built a great industrial nation seems to have waned.

During past eras of challenge and change, our national leaders have acted decisively to enable universities to enhance American prosperity and security. While the country was engaged in the Civil War, Congress passed the Morrill Land-Grant Act of 1862 to forge a partnership between the federal government, the states, higher education, and industry aimed at creating universities that could extend educational opportunities to the working class while conducting the applied research that would enable Americans to become world leaders in agriculture and industry. Eighty years later, emerging from the Great Depression and World War II, Congress invested heavily in basic research and graduate education to build the world’s finest research universities, capable of providing the steady stream of well-educated graduates and scientific and technological innovations central to our robust economy, vibrant culture, vital health enterprise, and national security in a complex, competitive, and challenging world.

 

When I said intelligent, I didn't mean AI.

 

4 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Yes. And I was not offended by the Palestinian support. As a Centrist American Jew I myself support Palestinian statehood and I'm adamantly opposed to Israeli genocide. 

What does that have to do with the jewish students attending harvard that were targeted?

4 hours ago, webfact said:

"Burroughs, appointed by Barack Obama"

Ohhhhhhhhhhh here we go again - another leftist communist vegan libtard judge.

36 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Sure. Let me hold your hand for a moment and coach you through a very elemental lesson in economics 101.

 

The crucial importance of the research university as a key asset in achieving economic prosperity and security is widely understood, as evidenced by the efforts that nations around the globe are making to create and sustain institutions of world-class quality. Yet, while America’s research universities remain the strongest in the world, they are threatened by many forces: national and state economic challenges, the emergence of global competitors, changing student demographics, and rapidly evolving technologies. And even as other countries have emulated the United States in building research universities to drive economic growth, America’s commitment to sustaining the research partnership that built a great industrial nation seems to have waned.

During past eras of challenge and change, our national leaders have acted decisively to enable universities to enhance American prosperity and security. While the country was engaged in the Civil War, Congress passed the Morrill Land-Grant Act of 1862 to forge a partnership between the federal government, the states, higher education, and industry aimed at creating universities that could extend educational opportunities to the working class while conducting the applied research that would enable Americans to become world leaders in agriculture and industry. Eighty years later, emerging from the Great Depression and World War II, Congress invested heavily in basic research and graduate education to build the world’s finest research universities, capable of providing the steady stream of well-educated graduates and scientific and technological innovations central to our robust economy, vibrant culture, vital health enterprise, and national security in a complex, competitive, and challenging world.

Let me get out a tissue for you. Have you seen Harvard? I live a 1/2 walk to it six months of the year and it's a filthy display of wealth with over a $54 Billion endowment and incredible real estate holdings all over Cambridge and Boston. They pay nothing in taxes and can shell out their own $2 Billion for more research that THEY benefit from. These extra $$ are not needed at all. 

49 minutes ago, In Full Agreement said:

How do you figure Harvard is antisemitic?

 

Because they admit they are.........the argument is how quickly they can change its the one place thats dragging their heels on that. With so many anti Semite's on their board. Hence the --Who's in charge

 

Harvard’s antisemitism task force agrees with White House on the need for reform. But not entirely on how or who’s in charge.       

Harvard University’s release this week of a long-awaited, 300-page report addressing antisemitism on campus is the latest milestone in an issue that has been incredibly painful for the campus community – and incredibly powerful for its biggest critic: the Trump administration.

Oh this report comes from CNN--not exactly a friend of Trump

 

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/05/01/us/harvard-antisemitism-trump-administration-reforms

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 hour ago, JonnyF said:

Once again extreme left wing activist judges running the US instead of the democratically elected government.

 

Shameful. 

Everything is better then these criminal right wing fascist scums like the Trump Regime.

So much losing. 

The title is wrong.  Harvard won a round.  The fight won't be over until the Supreme Court weighs in. 

 

But I doubt Trump will pull a Biden and thumb his nose at any Supreme Court ruling if it goes against him like Student Loan Forgiveness did.

 

Meh. It won’t be hard for the republicans to get that over turned. No money since last April, how sad😂😂😂😂

I'm sure Trump University  will soon get their funding back!

2 hours ago, Tug said:

Finally some checks are starting to take effect!

Agreed but note that the next SCOTUS session is going to be critical to the direction of the USA.

55 minutes ago, Mad Mustang said:

Meh. It won’t be hard for the republicans to get that over turned. No money since last April, how sad😂😂😂😂

Yeah, we don’t need no stinkin higher education research done … we got common since!