Endowments aren't blank checks, but universities can rely on them more heavily in turbulent times
- In mid-April 2025, Harvard began to resist demands from the Trump administration.
- The Trump administration wants policy changes at 60 U.S. Colleges and universities.
- The government's demands include oversight of admissions, hiring, and campus culture at Harvard.
- Harvard stated that the demands violate free speech, saying they "invade university freedoms."
- Colleges risk losing billions in funding; Harvard might issue bonds to offset potential losses.
7 Articles
7 Articles

Endowments aren’t blank checks – but universities can rely on them more heavily in turbulent times
The Trump administration is demanding that at least 60 U.S. colleges and universities change their policies or lose out on billions of dollars in federal funding. In Harvard University’s case, the government has accused the Ivy league school – so far without providing any specific evidence – of violating some students’ civil rights by allowing other students to engage in what the authorities characterize as antisemitic speech. The government has…
No, Endowments Are Not the Answer to Federal Attacks on Higher Ed
Learn more about how endowments support students and research: Contact Congress, read our brief Understanding College and University Endowments, and explore our Tax Resource webpage. The Trump administration has launched an aggressive and unprecedented attack on higher education—unlike anything we’ve seen before. Billions of dollars in federal support for vital research on diseases like cancer, Alzheimer’s, and HIV disappeared overnight. The ...…
Endowments aren’t clean assessments – however universities can depend on them extra closely in turbulent occasions
The Trump management is not easy that a minimum of 60 U.S. schools and universities trade their insurance policies or lose out on billions of greenbacks in federal investment. In Harvard College’s case, the federal government has accused the Ivy league faculty – to this point with out offering any particular proof – of violating [...]
Are Colleges Cashing In Endowments As Political Pressure Mounts?
Yale University is reportedly offloading up to $6 billion of its private equity holdings—roughly 15% of its $41.4 billion endowment—as elite academic institutions come under intensified fiscal and political pressure following federal funding cuts under President Donald Trump’s administration. The move underscores a larger trend: once-stable university endowments, long regarded as immune to cyclical market fluctuations, are now being forced to re…
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