August 29, 2025

Since President Donald Trump began his second term in January, America’s top universities have turned into fierce political battlegrounds. Billions of dollars in federal research money have been frozen, threats to accreditation hover, and campus rules are changing because of pressure from Washington. But among all this drama, Yale University stands out as an exception. According to Yale Daily News, Yale and Dartmouth are the only Ivy League schools yet to see cuts to their federal funds. The other six, including giants like Harvard, Columbia, and the University of Pennsylvania, have been hit hard with billion-dollar cuts, fines, and new rules shaking up everything from admissions to campus sports. For Yale students, this calm brings both relief and worry. William Mahoney ’27 told Yale Daily News, "I feel sort of lucky that we haven’t been directly publicly attacked yet, but I guess I feel a little uncertain about what’s to come next because I’m not sure if the administration would change course and decide that we’re the next target." The fight around Yale’s peers is fierce. The Trump team froze over $400 million in funds to Columbia and $175 million to Penn early in the year. Then came a shocking $2.2 billion cut to Harvard. The official reason? Ranging from accusations of antisemitism to failing to keep campus order, and not having enough "viewpoint diversity." Getting back this money hasn’t been easy. Penn removed records of swimmer Lia Thomas and made strict new rules about gender. Columbia took a $200 million fine and major policy changes. Harvard is fighting back, suing the government over a demanded $500 million cut. Yale students like Zach Pan ’27 believe the attacks are political. He said, "Yale’s disciplined and drama-free approach has shielded us for now. These attacks are 100 percent political — the schools that got hit were the ones whose presidents put their foot in their mouth." So, why did Yale avoid these storms? University President Maurie McInnis has kept a low profile, following a faculty recommendation to avoid public political statements. Yale focused on quiet influence instead. In 2025’s second quarter, Yale outspent almost all of its Ivy League rivals in lobbying, showing behind-the-scenes talks have been its protection. President McInnis has spoken out only when Yale’s money was directly threatened, opposing proposals to hike taxes on endowment earnings. Though Congress settled on a lower tax rate than proposed, Yale still announced hiring freezes and paused construction. On campus, this cautious strategy shines. Jack Ludwick ’28 said, "I’m very fortunate that our school has not been as deeply affected as some of these other schools. My financial aid was never at risk, my housing situation was never at risk. I’m really grateful that none of those things have been dramatically affected so far." But fears linger. Mahoney worried, "When you think of the big three names of Harvard, Yale and Princeton, these are the bastions of liberal education that the current administration doesn’t have good feelings towards, and so part of me is fearful that we’ll be next." Yale got nearly $900 million in federal grants in fiscal year 2024, showing it’s still vulnerable if it becomes a target. For now, Yale’s calm, quiet moves and lobbying power shield it from the billion-dollar hits shaking its peers. As students return, they enjoy this peace but wonder silently — how long before Yale faces its own storm?

Read More at Timesofindia →

Tags: Yale university, Trump administration, Federal funding, Ivy league, University politics,