Michael Faulkender

United States Deputy Secretary of the Treasurer

We, the undersigned, write to you as citizens who are concerned that Harvard might lose its tax- exempt status. We deeply value the role that America’s leading academic institutions - such as Harvard - play in contributing to our economy, fostering innovation, and enriching civic life. These universities produce some of our finest leaders in business, science, technology, and the public sector, which helps to make our nation stronger.

We understand that President Trump is dissatisfied with Harvard's handling of antisemitism and its DEI policies, and he has indicated that he would be “taking away” Harvard’s tax exempt status.  

In your August 22, 2018, testimony before the United States Senate, you rightly observed, that:  “The academic community has an enormous depth of knowledge and rigor to bring to policy discussions and debates about the structure of our economy.”  

You also stated, that “The decisions made here in Washington have enormous consequences, so it is critical that proposals are subjected to rigorous and thoughtful assessment before being enacted and implemented.”

We urge you to apply this same thoughtful standard when evaluating whether to revoke Harvard’s tax-exempt status. Such a move could set a troubling precedent for the politicization of the IRS and the weakening of academic independence in the United States.

Scott Hodge, former president of the Tax Foundation, said, "I think Republicans should be quite cautious about using the I.R.S. against any particular sector or narrow group of organizations … Weaponizing the I.R.S. in any form is wrong. Policies should always be uniform and neutral and based on tax principles."

While no institution is above scrutiny, we believe that Harvard continues to fulfill its public mission in good faith and should remain a tax-exempt educational institution under federal law.   We respectfully request that you reject any efforts to strip Harvard University of its tax-exempt status and that you continue to uphold the values of impartial governance and principled decision-making.

We appreciate your service to our nation as a public servant, and we appreciate your contributions in academia. 

Thank you for considering this request.