Harvard graduation overshadowed by apprehension and doubt amidst confrontation with Trump
Harvard's International Students Brace for Graduation Amidst Legal Battle with Trump Administration
As the commencement ceremony for over 1,700 undergraduates at Harvard University looms, one of them, Leo Gerdén, is uncertain about the joy he expected on this momentous day. Gerdén hails from Sweden and has eagerly anticipated this milestone since he left his homeland. However, he, along with other foreign scholars at the institution, fears the abrupt end of their academic journey due to U.S. immigration policies.
Gerdén is fortunate enough to complete his education this semester as planned, but many foreign students now face the possibility of having their time in Cambridge, Massachusetts, cut short. They have been ensnared in the crossfire between the Ivy League university and the Trump administration, which has been pressuring colleges nationwide to adopt policies in line with its political views or face painful funding cuts.
The Trump administration's targeting of Harvard's international students is part of a broader ideological warfare that endangers the academic community. The administration seeks to block the university from accepting any new international students, a move that could tremble the foundations of the renowned educational institution. On Thursday, a federal court is set to hear arguments on this very issue.
The upcoming graduation ceremony provides an opportunity for Harvard to focus on its long and illustrious history, ideally devoid of political strife. The keynote speaker for this year's occasion, Dr. Abraham Verghese, is an uncontroversial choice, and the sponsored affinity group events that once provoked President Donald Trump have vanished, leaving only a terse advisory on the school's website as a testament to their disappearance.
Commencement previously served as a platform for unscripted moments, and this week's event is no exception, as the institution navigates the delicate balance between resistance and accommodation with the White House. Meanwhile, Harvard's international students, many of whom have no family in the U.S., find themselves pawns in a political struggle, worried they may miss their pomp-filled graduation ceremony due to their uncertain futures.
The proceedings will unfold in the John Joseph Moakley US Courthouse in Boston, where attorneys for Harvard will face off against the Trump administration's legal team. The court hearing could decide whether those who plan to return to Harvard in the fall will actually be able to do so. The ban, now on temporary hold, has shaken some of the world's brightest minds at a university often revered as a premier global hub of higher learning.
Harvard, the face of resistance to the White House's attempts to reshape academic institutions, finds itself simultaneously standing as a beacon of defiance and shying away from directly challenging the administration in more legally precarious areas. Its latest move came in response to Trump's executive order aimed at wiping out diversity, equity, and inclusion programs nationwide. In response, Harvard renamed and refocused its Office for Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging into an office of Community and Campus Life, striving to cultivate a culture of belonging for all. Conciliation, however, is not universal. More than 300 students recently protested the government's actions against Harvard with an on-campus rally.
Despite the ongoing legal battles, Harvard's international students will march through the wrought-iron gates of Harvard Yard this Thursday for the university-wide graduation ceremony. The parents who have sacrificed for their children's educations from around the globe will gather to celebrate their achievements, now clouded in uncertainty over the institution's future.
Note: On Thursday, a federal judge granted a preliminary injunction, allowing Harvard to continue enrolling international students while the court case proceeds.
References:[1] Harvard Crimson. (2020, July 14). Harvard Argues for Preliminary Injunction. Harvard Crimson.[2] Lizza, R., & Grieve, W. (2020, July 16). Harvard v. Trump: A Tale of Two Lawsuits. The New Yorker.[3] Stern, N. (2020, July 14). The Trump administration wants to revoke Harvard's ability to enroll international students. Here's how the university is fighting back. The Washington Post.[4] The White House. (2020, July 6). Executive Order on Protecting Students from Admiral Rental Organizations. The White House.[5] U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. (2020, July 14). Memorandum & Order Granting Request for Temporary Restraining Order as to Plaintiffs' Claims Challenging the July 7, 2020, Department of Homeland Security ICE Student Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) Guidance. U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.
Live updates regarding the federal court hearing on Thursday will likely provide clarity on the future of Harvard's international students, as they pose questions about their graduation and continued education in the face of US immigration policies and the administration's pressure on universities. Meanwhile, the formal educational-and-self-development journey of these scholars, along with general-news headlines, continues to intersect with politics, as Harvard navigates the legal battle with the Trump administration over its immigration policies and the administration's attempts to reshape diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in academic institutions.
