Harvard president tells faculty they must reconsider their messaging after Trump victory: report

Harvard president Alan M. Garber reportedly told the faculty at the university that they need to rethink their messaging after the massive GOP victory last month. 

Three anonymous faculty members told Fox News that a closed-door meeting took place on Dec. 3.

Garber reportedly told faculty during that meeting that he has met with about 40 members of Congress and said there were "bipartisan frustrations with Harvard and acknowledged that he believes the criticisms contain elements of truth."

The Harvard Crimson reported that Garber sees the GOP's victory as an "anti-elite repudiation by the American electorate." He reportedly sees this as a turn in Washington against higher education that poses a greater threat to Harvard than anything in recent memory. 

The potential legislative threats to Harvard discussed at that Dec. 3 meeting include such matters as an endowment tax, congressional probes, revoking Harvard's accreditation and threats to federal research funding, which could amount to $600 million annually, according to The Harvard Crimson. 

Garber is reportedly planning to "listen to public criticism with empathy and humility."

The Crimson is reporting that Garber will take a diplomatic rather than a defiant approach when interacting with the incoming Trump administration. 

Harvard came under fire just before the election due to anti-Israel protests, resulting in hearings on antisemitism and former President Claudine Gay resigning.