By Rounak Bagchi

Copyright timesnownews

The Trump administration has taken further action against Harvard University, initiating a process that could make the nation’s oldest and wealthiest university ineligible for federal grants over alleged antisemitism on campus. In a letter addressed to Harvard President Alan Garber on Monday, the Office for Civil Rights within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said it was referring the university to a process called debarment, according to The Wall Street Journal. The move could represent the most significant financial pressure yet on Harvard, potentially putting billions of dollars in funding at risk. Earlier this month, a federal judge in Boston ruled that the government must restore $2.2 billion in research funding that had been frozen earlier this year. Debarment, which would formally declare the university ineligible to do business with the federal government, is another mechanism the White House could use to restrict Harvard’s access to funds. The dispute comes amid stalled negotiations between Harvard and the Trump administration following the September 3 court ruling, according to people familiar with the discussions. Also Read: Study Abroad – What Led to Trump’s War on Harvard Debarment is designed for organisations deemed not responsible enough to conduct business with the government, an administration official said. The official added that the White House believes Harvard has not adequately addressed antisemitism on campus. Harvard has been targetted by the Trump administration in past as well. In May, Education Secretary Linda McMahon, in a letter, had warned that the university could lose eligibility for future federal grants. The administration has also threatened to challenge Harvard’s tax-exempt status and its ability to enrol international students. The debarment process involves multiple steps, and it is not certain that Harvard will ultimately be barred. As a first step, HHS is recommending a one-year suspension of all federal grant funds, which would prevent the university from receiving money from any federal agency while officials review whether permanent debarment is warranted. Harvard has 20 days from the notice to request a hearing. Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from US News and around the World.