Navigating Institutional Challenges: The Balance of Autonomy and Financial Relationships

2025 has not been kind to Harvard.

To date, the Trump administration has revoked nearly $3 billion in research funding to the university, demanding violations of free speech, academic freedom, and institutional autonomy in return for restoring the funding. In response, Harvard filed a lawsuit, raising First Amendment claims. 

Helping us unpack all things Harvard are:

• Larry Summers, President Emeritus, professor (Harvard) & advisory council member (FIRE)

• Greg Lukianoff, President & CEO (FIRE)

Timestamps: 

00:00 Intro

02:32 Harvard’s disputes with the Trump administration

08:29 The need for internal reforms at Harvard

42:50 Institutional neutrality debate

46:16 IHRA definition of anti-Semitism

01:01:28 Latest update on potential Harvard-Trump administration settlement

Read the transcript here: https://www.thefire.org/research-learn/so-speak-podcast-transcript-fire-reacts-where-does-harvard-go-here-larry-summers

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Show notes:

• The War on Words: 10 Arguments Against Free Speech—and Why They Fail by Greg Lukianoff & Nadine Strossen (2025)