As widely noted in the press, Harvard University received a letter on June 30, 2025 from the United States Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (USDE OCR) notifying the institution that the United States Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights (HHS OCR) had found Harvard University in violation of federal antidiscrimination laws.

On July 9, 2025, the New England Commission of Higher Education received a letter from the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights (HHS OCR) and the United States Department of Education (ED), Office of Postsecondary Education,  to  inform the Commission that the HHS OCR found Harvard University in violation of federal antidiscrimination laws.  ED also issued a press release regarding this matter.

In response to questions and inquiries received following USDE’s letter, the Commission has prepared this Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) to answer questions related to its role regarding OCR findings.