​Permanent damage: on the Trump administration and Harvard 

Civic life in the United States stands on multiple, strong and independent institutions in different fields. These institutions, whether constitutionality mandated or not, have a continuity, life and standing of their own, beyond particular individuals. They enable diversity and pluralism, and provide protection against arbitrary decisions by those in power. Ironically enough, U.S. President Donald Trump is intent on damaging its oldest and wealthiest educational institution — Harvard. After harassing the institution with investigations, orders to turn over records, and freezing funds and grants running to hundreds of millions of dollars, the U.S. government has said that Harvard cannot enrol foreign students in 2025-26. Some 6,800 international students, including more than 750 from India, constitute more than 27% of its current student strength. They will have to transfer to other institutions within the U.S. or leave, as per the government, which does not want any new international student there in 2025-26 either. The U.S. government has said that the student visa programme is a privilege that it has granted and Harvard “relies heavily” on foreign students to “build and maintain their substantial endowment”, which is said to run to over $55 billion. And it sees foreign student visas and tax-exempt status as weapons in its arsenal against Harvard.

Across the world, the authoritarian’s playbook for pluralistic societies is to identify an enemy against whom a campaign is unleashed based on real and imagined grievances. The campaign keeps the “enemy” in a state of disarray, even turmoil, with long-term damage and a chilling effect. Though sullied by unsavoury links, from the Salem witch trials to Enron, Harvard attracts some of the brightest talent from across the world and trains them for leadership roles in their chosen fields. It represents liberalism and knowledge creation that advances globalisation. Mr. Trump’s working and middle class support base looks at Harvard as one among elitist vehicles of globalisation that have excluded them while promoting affirmative action for minorities, especially African-Americans. While lineage and family background of prospective students are a factor for Harvard, an extensive scholarship programme seeks to balance that. Harvard has said that it will go to court against the government’s move just as it sued the Trump administration for freezing government funds. While the courts may well stay the ban, the damage has been done not just to Harvard but also to the image of American higher education and democratic principles. It is damage that cannot be easily remedied.