Federal cuts become ‘all consuming’ at Harvard’s public health school

Education
Last week, a surge of funding cuts hit a school where 59% of its revenue comes from the federal government and other external supporters.
At the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, on May 20, 2025. Sophie Park/The New York Times
By Jenna Russell, New York Times Service
May 21, 2025 | 1:45 PM
7 minutes read
BOSTON — Last Thursday, at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Amanda Spickard, an associate dean, and her colleagues found themselves in a conference room devising a plan to handle the impending chaos.
Over 130 researchers at the graduate school were about to receive emails canceling their federal funding, putting an end to careers, stalling medical breakthroughs, and reshaping the institution. This school heavily relies on government support, and the loss of tens of millions of dollars was a major blow.
The Office of Research Strategy and Development staff, responsible for addressing lab equipment and journals for faculty members and researchers, shifted their focus to this emergency. The impact was significant, with the school depending on 59% of its revenue from federal and external sponsors.
Since Harvard refused to meet demands from the Trump administration on April 14, the Chan School had been anticipating a crackdown. This led to a freeze on over $2 billion in grants and contracts to the entire university, with the public health school expecting more than $200 million in federal funding for the year.
The administration’s stance was that wealthy universities like Harvard should finance their work independently due to their substantial endowments. Linda McMahon, the education secretary, expressed in a letter that the university should utilize its endowment to support its operations.
The Chan School faculty saw their worst fears materialize as federal funding cuts escalated, impacting various aspects of the institution. The funding freeze was broad, affecting every area of the school’s portfolio.
Despite the challenges, some researchers viewed the situation as an opportunity for growth, while others felt disheartened by the turn of events. The school’s administration is now exploring new funding avenues to navigate this crisis.
This New York Times article originally appeared in The New York Times.