Harvard President Condemns Faculty Activism, Seeks Classroom Objectivity
Harvard University’s president has recently expressed concerns about the impact of activism within the academic environment, suggesting that it has created an atmosphere where students feel hesitant to express their views freely. In a podcast released on December 16, Harvard President Alan Garber addressed these issues, emphasizing the need for a return to objective teaching methods.
Garber stated, “That’s what had shifted, and that’s where I think we went wrong.” He questioned how many students would be willing to challenge a professor who holds strong views on a controversial topic. This discussion took place during an appearance on the Identity/Crisis Podcast, hosted by the Shalom Hartman Institute, where he and host Yehuda Kurtzer explored the state of political discourse on Harvard’s campus, particularly in light of recent antisemitism incidents at Ivy League universities.
HARVARD FACULTY ADMIT STUDENTS SKIPPING CLASS, NOT ENGAGING WITH OPPOSING VIEWS, AND STILL GETTING GOOD GRADES
Garber noted that some of these issues have occurred and expressed hope that there is progress being made to restore balance in teaching. He emphasized the importance of objectivity in the classroom. “I’m pleased to say that I think there’s real movement to restore balance in teaching and to bring back the idea that you really need to be objective in the classroom,” he said.
He explained that during his college years, ideological freedom and the ability to express ideas were foundational concepts. However, he observed that this has changed with the hiring of younger faculty members. Garber criticized the practice of pushing opinions on students, arguing that the university’s role is to teach facts rather than promote specific viewpoints.
TRUMP SAYS ADMINISTRATION CLOSE TO FINALIZING FEDERAL FUNDING DEAL WITH HARVARD UNIVERSITY
Garber highlighted the importance of equipping students with factual knowledge and analytical tools. “What we need to arm our students with is a set of facts and a set of analytic tools and cultivation of rigor in analyzing these issues,” he said. He further explained that the focus should not be on slogans or advancing particular political perspectives. Instead, students should be able to engage in discussions with authority, grounded in evidence and rigorous analysis.
“It is not about how to sling slogans or how to advance a particular political perspective. People will do that, and we want to make sure that the education that we give them will enable them to do that with some real authority,” he continued. “But we’re not about the activism. We’re not about pushing particular points of view. Other than that, you should be logical, firmly grounded in the evidence and rigorous in how you approach these issues.”
Garber emphasized that Harvard’s mission is excellence in teaching, learning, and research. To achieve this, he stressed the importance of free communication and the willingness to engage in open dialogue. “We have to be capable of speaking with one another, freely hearing one another, risking being rejected or saying something offensive, if that’s necessary, to be able to have effective communication,” he said.
In 2025, Harvard became a focal point of controversy regarding free speech and radical leftism on campus. One notable incident involved a 2018 panel where faculty members praised a far-left Antifa activist and professor from another university. The speaker advocated for potential political violence at the Carr-Ryan Center for Human Rights. The video of the panel was later removed from YouTube after being available for seven years.
The university has also been involved in a prolonged legal battle with the Trump administration over antisemitism on campus. The administration withdrew $2.7 billion in federal funding, leading to a court case with the Ivy League institution.
A federal court ordered the administration to release the funds back to Harvard, prompting a December appeal by the administration. Recently, a professor who taught at Harvard for 40 years criticized the school for its ideological homogeneity. He claimed that graduate programs were denying White male applicants based on race and that courses on Western civilization were being eliminated.
“In reviewing graduate student applicants in the fall of 2020 I came across an outstanding prospect who was a perfect fit for our program,” James Hankins wrote in Compact Magazine. “In past years this candidate would have risen immediately to the top of the applicant pool. In 2021, however, I was told informally by a member of the admissions committee that ‘that’ (meaning admitting a white male) was ‘not happening this year.'”
Harvard has not responded to requests for comment.
- Oktober merupakan Bulan Terapi Fisik; Pengusuh menyoroti peran dalam pemulihan dan kesehatan - January 13, 2026
- Harvard President Condemns Faculty Activism, Seeks Classroom Objectivity - January 13, 2026
- Pelajar Tenggelam di Pantai Taronta Saat Tahun Baru - January 13, 2026
Leave a Reply