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In a powerful show of resistance against President Donald Trump’s actions targeting higher education, more than 80 faculty members at Harvard University have pledged to donate 10 percent of their salaries to support the institution. Their commitment, which may extend for up to a year, is intended to aid Harvard as it pushes back against the Trump administration’s attempts to impose sweeping policy changes and freeze billions in federal funding.
According to The Harvard Crimson, the pledges currently amount to over $2 million and reflect growing concern among faculty about the future of academic freedom and federal support for universities across the US. The pledging faculty sent a formal letter outlining their commitment to Harvard President Alan M. Garber on April 24, 2025.
Faculty move to defend academic freedom and institutional independence
The funding freeze includes $2.2 billion frozen on April 15 and another $1 billion on April 21, bringing the total to $3.2 billion. The Trump administration implemented these cuts following Harvard’s public rejection of the White House’s demands for policy concessions. In response, Harvard filed a lawsuit challenging the federal action, as reported by The Harvard Crimson.
Faculty members stated that while their donations will not fully compensate for the multibillion-dollar deficit, the gesture sends a strong signal of support. Harvard Kennedy School professor Dani Rodrik told The Harvard Crimson via email that if faculty are urging the university to resist these pressures, they should also be “willing to share in the financial sacrifice that will be necessary.”
Donations aim to support students, staff, and academic programs
The faculty group has yet to finalize how the donations will be distributed. According to The Harvard Crimson, the letter mentions that professors will later vote on whether the university has made a “good faith effort” to use the funds in ways that support staff, students, and academic programming. It is still undecided whether the donations will come as pre-tax salary reductions or post-tax contributions.
Government professor Ryan D. Enos estimated the current pledges exceed $2 million, The Harvard Crimson reported. Harvard professor Archon Fung called the effort “a drop in the bucket” but emphasized his personal responsibility to contribute in any way possible.
Faculty emphasize solidarity and constitutional values
Faculty also highlighted that Trump’s actions are impacting students and untenured staff disproportionately. According to The Harvard Crimson, professor Theda R. Skocpol said her and her husband’s pledge represented “significant money,” but she felt compelled to act. She described the Trump administration’s letter to Harvard as “one of the most Stalinist things I’ve ever read.”
Skocpol, who has studied communist regimes extensively, told The Harvard Crimson the situation demands a “firm and very broad response inside and beyond the universities.”
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