The Pentagon is rethinking its ties with dozens of universities, which could affect tuition assistance and other programs for military students.
The Department of Defense severed its ties with Harvard University earlier this month, sharing that it was reviewing other schools as well. The Pentagon hasn’t publicly identified the additional schools under review.
An internal US Army email that leaked last week offers some indication: the message lists 33 private universities that the Pentagon had labeled as “moderate” to “high” risk. The email did not explain what classifies a school as a risk.
Prospective military students should have a “backup plan” in case the Pentagon cuts ties with these schools, the email said.
Screenshots of the message circulated online last week, catching many people by surprise. Universities, professors, and service members told Business Insider they felt blindsided.
The internal email identified Harvard as “fully off limits” to service members pursuing higher education through Department of Defense-funded programs. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has called Harvard “one of the red-hot centers of Hate America activism” and said the Pentagon will not work with the university on professional military education programs and fellowships.
An Army spokesperson told Business Insider the Defense Department is reviewing other schools beyond Harvard, but no further decisions have been made.
The list, which a defense official told Business Insider remains “up in the air,” contains Ivy League schools and other prominent institutions, as well as some lesser-known universities. Public schools are under review as well, an email said, though those schools were not listed.
High-performing troops can apply to such institutions through competitive selection processes to become military attorneys or level up in fields relevant to other specialty military jobs. Degree programs might include law degrees, MBAs, supply chain degrees, or education in international relations and STEM fields.
Here’s the full list of schools included in the Army email:
American University
Boston College
Boston University
Brown University
Carnegie Mellon University
Case Western Reserve University
College of William & Mary
Columbia University
Cornell University
Duke University
Emory University
Florida Institute of Technology
Fordham University
George Washington University
Georgetown University
Hawaii Pacific University
Johns Hopkins University
London School of Economics
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
New York University
Northeastern University
Northwestern University
Pepperdine University
Princeton University
Stanford University
Tufts University
University of Miami
University of Pennsylvania
University of Southern California
Vanderbilt University
Wake Forest University
Washington University in St. Louis
Yale University
