Harvard president apologizes after 2 reports show widespread political, racial and religious bias on campus

May 1, 2025

Harvard University’s president has apologized after two reports were released showing incidents of racial and religious bias on campus.

The Deseret News reports that Harvard president Alan Garber’s apology for incidents of antisemitism and Islamophobia came after President Trump threatened to withhold more than $2.2 billion in federal grants.

One report investigated antisemitic and anti-Israel bias among students, staff and administrators and the other report delved into anti-Muslim, anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian bias.

The 311 page anti-Israeli bias report contained responses from 2,300 students, staff and faculty with 477 Jewish students represented in the findings.

The anti-Muslim, anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian bias report spanned 222 pages and surveyed 2,295 students and faculty.

The reports sought to measure the current political climate on the Harvard campus through interviews and polls.

Both reports found ample evidence of students and staff members who did not feel comfortable sharing their opinions or political views regardless of where they fell on the political spectrum.

In his apology to the Harvard community, Garber wrote: “The 2023-24 academic year was disappointing and painful. I am sorry for the moments when we failed to meet the high expectations we rightfully set for our community.”

Based on the findings of the reports, Garber promised, “to ensure that we continue to find ways to strengthen the fabric of our community as we meet unprecedented challenges.”

According to the Deseret News, to reclaim the funding revoked by the Trump administration, Garber has proposed a plan to reform governance and leadership by August of this year.

Photo: top, Credit: Associated Press