Harvard Confronts Challenges as New Semester Begins
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Students returned to a changed Harvard campus after recent controversies including protests, congressional hearings, and the resignation of the first Black president.
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Harvard must navigate political hostility, a federal investigation, lawsuits alleging rampant antisemitism, and pause in donations from a top donor.
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Some changes enacted include restrictions on classroom disruptions and social media groups, new task forces on antisemitism and Islamophobia, and events fostering dialogue.
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Many students don't feel they can express opposing views freely, with only a third of seniors last year saying they felt comfortable doing so in class.
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As the semester begins, a key question is whether Harvard can use its ideals and people's wisdom to emerge stronger from this divisive period.