On October 21, 2025 Crimson Courage sent the following letter to the President and Fellows of Harvard:

Crimson Courage thanks you all for your steadfast resistance against the extortionate and unconstitutional demands of the federal administration. Harvard has become the lodestar for those who value academic freedom, institutional autonomy and rule of law across the US and the world.

But with this stature comes responsibility. The federal administration’s expansion of the breadth of the compact has ratcheted the debate to yet another unprecedented and precarious moment. The “preferential” treatment is both bribery and extortion. Harvard can and must be a leader in defending independence. Much like the egregious demands of the April 11th Department of Education letter, this compact clearly attempts to force all universities to declare loyalty to an unacceptable ideological agenda. 

Crimson Courage believes there is a solution to the administration’s divide-and-conquer strategy: fight fiercely and stand in solidarity. MIT’s resounding rejection of the compact has been mirrored by other universities to reiterate their own commitments to academic freedom and institutional independence, despite the threat of financial penalties. Thought leaders across the political spectrum, including the Cato Institute and American Enterprise Institute have urged the rejection of the compact as an assault on constitutional rights. Harvard can and should issue the clarion call for all to denounce the compact.

It is not enough to reject the compact. Acquiescing to a deal will neither save Harvard’s research, nor stop future ultimatums from the federal government. Brown University and University of Pennsylvania made a deal with the government, and yet they were asked to sign the compact. Appeasement does not work as this administration has no compunction in breaking any and all agreements.  

We urge Harvard not to make any concessions which sacrifice academic freedom, institutional autonomy and the civil liberties of its entire community. Doing so will not only weaken Harvard, but also the independence of every other university. We ask Harvard to continue to inspire higher education to withstand authoritarian overreach and uphold the principles which have made America the leader in education.

Harvard has the values. We trust it has the will.