Embedded The Harvard Plan: And so it begins…
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Nov 17, 2025 
Ryan Enos, a political scientist at Harvard who focuses on voting, shares insights on election surprises and faculty resistance to government demands. Kamila Naxerova, a genetics professor and cancer researcher, discusses the impact of funding cuts on her lab and the American research culture. Kit Parker, a bioengineering professor and U.S. Army Reserve lieutenant colonel, explores the challenges of ideological diversity on campus. Together, they navigate the intersection of academia, government pressure, and the future of academic freedom.
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President Garber Says No
- Alan Garber sent a faculty-wide email rejecting the administration's demands and defending institutional independence.
- The message rallied hundreds of presidents to oppose government overreach into higher education.
Research Funding Pause Meant Hard Choices
- NIH funding freezes left labs in limbo and forced Kamila to cut staff despite bridge support.
- The pause erased planning horizons and threatened long-term training commitments for researchers.
Pressure Multiplied Across Agencies
- The administration broadened its reach: visa blocks, multiple agencies cutting programs, and tax changes.
- Harvard's resistance made Alan Garber a symbolic leader defending academic freedom and international students.
