CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Television comedian Conan O’Brien will address Harvard University’s graduating class during Thursday’s commencement ceremony, as the prestigious institution continues facing legal challenges from the Trump administration.
Federal officials filed a lawsuit against Harvard in March, claiming the university’s leadership has not adequately confronted antisemitism on its campus. This legal action follows a previous court ruling that favored Harvard and required the administration to restore billions in funding cuts.
The federal government had previously eliminated over $2.6 billion from Harvard’s research budget, terminated government contracts and tried to prevent the institution from welcoming international students. University officials maintained they were being unlawfully punished for declining to embrace the Trump administration’s positions.
Recent Harvard graduation ceremonies have taken on increasingly political overtones, largely due to these continuing conflicts with federal authorities.
During last year’s ceremony, students applauded speakers who stressed the importance of preserving a diverse international student population and defending truth against administration attacks. The previous year saw graduates exit the ceremony while chanting “Free, free Palestine” following weeks of campus demonstrations concerning the Gaza conflict. Other attendees responded with chants of “Let them walk, let them walk” after the university announced that some students involved in protest encampments would not receive their diplomas with fellow graduates.
For this year’s ceremony, Harvard graduate students who are currently on strike have declared plans to protest outside commencement due to stalled contract negotiations with university administration. The more than 4,000 graduate student workers are seeking improved compensation, an independent system for addressing harassment and discrimination issues, and contract protections for international and disabled employees, along with additional demands.
