Andrew Jack

This is Today Explained. My name is Andrew Jack. I'm the global education editor at the Financial Times based in New York. Did you go to Harvard, Andrew? I did have a year on a fellowship at Harvard many years ago. Yes. Oh, you did.

This is Today Explained. My name is Andrew Jack. I'm the global education editor at the Financial Times based in New York. Did you go to Harvard, Andrew? I did have a year on a fellowship at Harvard many years ago. Yes. Oh, you did.

This is Today Explained. My name is Andrew Jack. I'm the global education editor at the Financial Times based in New York. Did you go to Harvard, Andrew? I did have a year on a fellowship at Harvard many years ago. Yes. Oh, you did.

Well, I mean, I think certainly in the sense of some degree of skin in the game, I guess.

Well, I mean, I think certainly in the sense of some degree of skin in the game, I guess.

Well, I mean, I think certainly in the sense of some degree of skin in the game, I guess.

Well, Harvard, of course, has been in the sights of the Republicans and Donald Trump for many months. Like other leading universities, Harvard for a long time was very quiet in public. It wouldn't speak out. It wouldn't give interviews. It was going about its business.

Well, Harvard, of course, has been in the sights of the Republicans and Donald Trump for many months. Like other leading universities, Harvard for a long time was very quiet in public. It wouldn't speak out. It wouldn't give interviews. It was going about its business.

Well, Harvard, of course, has been in the sights of the Republicans and Donald Trump for many months. Like other leading universities, Harvard for a long time was very quiet in public. It wouldn't speak out. It wouldn't give interviews. It was going about its business.

And then in recent weeks and months, it's taken a number of moves that some interpreted as attempts to suggest it was responding to to the criticisms of the Trump administration, but also to try and push back any more aggressive enforcement action. So it got rid of some senior leadership at its Middle Eastern Studies Center.

And then in recent weeks and months, it's taken a number of moves that some interpreted as attempts to suggest it was responding to to the criticisms of the Trump administration, but also to try and push back any more aggressive enforcement action. So it got rid of some senior leadership at its Middle Eastern Studies Center.

And then in recent weeks and months, it's taken a number of moves that some interpreted as attempts to suggest it was responding to to the criticisms of the Trump administration, but also to try and push back any more aggressive enforcement action. So it got rid of some senior leadership at its Middle Eastern Studies Center.

It's got underway, though we're yet to see it, a detailed report on anti-Semitism on campus and a number of other initiatives. But really, After the demands escalated from the Trump administration at the end of last week, it switched and decided that it wouldn't accept the conditions that were sought from the government and that instead it would defend academic integrity and free speech.

It's got underway, though we're yet to see it, a detailed report on anti-Semitism on campus and a number of other initiatives. But really, After the demands escalated from the Trump administration at the end of last week, it switched and decided that it wouldn't accept the conditions that were sought from the government and that instead it would defend academic integrity and free speech.

It's got underway, though we're yet to see it, a detailed report on anti-Semitism on campus and a number of other initiatives. But really, After the demands escalated from the Trump administration at the end of last week, it switched and decided that it wouldn't accept the conditions that were sought from the government and that instead it would defend academic integrity and free speech.

We don't know the full story, but clearly this is an evolving situation where also presumably the Trump administration officials are adapting in response to a whole series of other actions they've taken both to the higher education sector across the board and to now something like seven of the most elite universities.

We don't know the full story, but clearly this is an evolving situation where also presumably the Trump administration officials are adapting in response to a whole series of other actions they've taken both to the higher education sector across the board and to now something like seven of the most elite universities.

We don't know the full story, but clearly this is an evolving situation where also presumably the Trump administration officials are adapting in response to a whole series of other actions they've taken both to the higher education sector across the board and to now something like seven of the most elite universities.

And I suspect that the apparent willingness by Columbia in particular to cede to the demands of the administration gave them a sense of increased empowerment. And so they then stepped up their ask to Harvard.

And I suspect that the apparent willingness by Columbia in particular to cede to the demands of the administration gave them a sense of increased empowerment. And so they then stepped up their ask to Harvard.