Harvard Briefing: Understanding the Legal Landscape at Harvard and Beyond


On May 2, 2025, Harvard Alumni for Free Speech (HAFFS) welcomed Robert Shibley, Special Counsel for Campus Advocacy at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), for an in-depth discussion on the legal challenges currently surrounding Harvard University.


The conversation comes at a pivotal moment. With over $2 billion in federal funding suspended, scrutiny over Harvard’s charitable status intensifying, and the university filing a lawsuit against the federal government, the relationship between higher education and federal authority is undergoing significant strain. Shibley, a leading voice in campus civil liberties, offered an expert perspective on the broader implications these developments may have, not just for Harvard but for colleges and universities nationwide.


If you’re concerned about the future of higher education, free expression on campus, or Harvard’s evolving role in these debates, this is a conversation you’ll want to explore.



January 27, 2026
By Abigail S. Gerstein and Amann S. Mahajan, Crimson Staff Writers The Harvard Crimson January 27, 2026 Harvard faculty awarded significantly fewer A grades in the fall, cutting the share of top marks by nearly seven percentage points after the College urged instructors to combat grade inflation, according to a Monday afternoon email obtained by The Crimson. The email, which was addressed to Faculty of Arts and Sciences instructors and sent by Dean of Undergraduate Education Amanda Claybaugh, reported that the share of flat As fell from 60.2 percent in the 2024-2025 academic year to 53.4 percent in the fall. The decline follows a 25-page report Claybaugh released in October 2025 arguing that grade inflation had rendered the College’s grading system unable to “perform the key functions of grading” and encouraging stricter academic measures, including standardized grading across sections and in-person final exams. Continue Reading
January 14, 2026
Student evaluations subject professors to perverse incentives.
January 12, 2026
Furman Free Speech Alliance has the Right Idea.
Show More