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The criticisms intensified during the Trump administration when officials urged universities to reduce administrative costs if they were to continue receiving taxpayer funding. The directive was clear: universities needed to prioritize efficiency and accountability to ensure that taxpayer dollars were not being wasted – a concern deeply rooted in the rising cost of education and student debt.
The refusal of Harvard to engage constructively with this critique, according to some, showcases a worrying trend of resistance and entitlement. Harvard's legal actions against the federal government further convinced skeptics that the institution was unwilling to consider necessary reforms.