We have to be clear: politicizing tax status crosses a line. And once that line is crossed, no mission-driven institution is safe.

The growing willingness to use state power to silence or reshape the nonprofit sector goes far beyond higher education. That should concern every organization and leader working toward social change.

I'll say it plainly: tax exemption is not a tool for punishing dissent. It’s a recognition that nonprofit institutions, from universities and foundations to advocacy groups and direct service providers, serve the public good precisely because they’re independent from government control.

Whether you agree with how Harvard runs its enterprise (yes, it is one!), manages its investments, leverages its endowment, or conducts its academic approaches, the principles behind actions matter.