BOSTON — Harvard President Alan Garber sought “common ground” with the Trump administration in the latest communications Monday, but again said the university will “not surrender its core, legally-protected principles out of fear of unfounded retaliation.”

“As your letter suggests, we share common ground on a number of critical issues, including the importance of ending antisemitism and other bigotry on campus,” Garber wrote Education Secretary Linda McMahon. ... “Harvard’s efforts to achieve these goals are undermined and threatened by the federal government’s overreach into the constitutional freedoms of private universities and its continuing disregard of Harvard’s compliance with the law.”

The president’s letter responds to a letter sent by the U.S. Department of Education head on May 5. In the escalation last week, McMahon said Harvard will receive no new federal grants until it meets the Trump’s administration series of demands.

The administration froze over $2 billion in funding to the university, and later President Trump vowed to end Harvard’s tax-exempt status. Harvard sued the Department of Education in April over the administration’s initial $2 billion funding freeze.

In Garber’s latest letter, he noted steps taken to comply with the law, combat antisemitism and all forms of discrimination, and uphold high standards.

The steps — responding to points laid out in McMahon’s May 5 letter — include “significant changes in its leadership and governance over the past year and a half,” compliance steps following the Supreme Court’s overturn of affirmative action, and two task force reports on “Combating Antisemitism and Anti-Israeli Bias” and “AntiMuslim, Anti-Arab, and Anti-Palestinian Bias.”

“I must refute your claim that Harvard is a partisan institution,” Garber wrote. “It is neither Republican nor Democratic. It is not an arm of any other political party or movement. Nor will it ever be.”

McMahon re-emphasized the administration’s demands in the May 5 letter.

“The proposed common-sense reforms – which the Administration remains committed to – include a return to merit-based admissions and hiring, an end to unlawful programs that promote crude identity stereotypes, disciplinary reform and consistent accountability, including for student groups, cooperation with Law Enforcement, and reporting compliance with the Department of Education, Department of Homeland Security, and other Federal Agencies,” McMahon wrote.

The Education Secretary also questioned where many “‘students’ come from, who are they, how do they get into Harvard, or even into our country—and why is there so much HATE?”

International students at Harvard “must meet the standards of performance and conduct we expect of our US students,” Garber said, and the university is “aware of no evidence for the allegation that they are collectively more prone to disruption, violence, or other misconduct than any other students.”

“I hope you will take my response to your letter in the spirit in which it is intended: to convey Harvard’s unwavering commitment to compliance with the law, to the elimination of antisemitism and other bigotry on our campus, and to academic excellence,” said Garber, arguing the relationship between research universities and the federal government provides “economic growth, innovation, and life-saving discoveries to the benefit of our nation and all humanity.”

“We hope that the partnership between higher education and the federal government will be vibrant and successful for generations to come,” the president continued.

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