As the Trump administration’s funding freeze on Harvard intensifies debate over government influence in higher education, Hillsdale College President Larry Arnn is encouraging the Ivy League giant to follow his school’s example and cut ties with federal financial support altogether.
Arnn, whose Michigan-based institution has operated without federal aid since its founding, argued that Harvard has the financial strength and academic reputation to thrive independently. He suggested that distancing itself from government oversight could allow the university to reclaim greater autonomy and protect its institutional values from political pressure.
According to Arnn, reliance on federal dollars comes at the cost of complying with hundreds of pages of detailed regulations—rules that he believes are increasingly shaping how universities operate. He stated that Harvard’s recent objections to federal mandates highlight the consequences of accepting such support.
Arnn praised the university’s willingness to push back but said true independence would mean relinquishing government funding altogether. With one of the largest endowments in the world, he argued, Harvard has the means to lead by example.
His remarks come at a time when academic freedom and the role of public funding in education are under growing scrutiny. The situation has sparked a broader national conversation about whether elite universities should continue to rely on federal money or chart a new course of financial self-reliance.