As of March 13, 2026, public perception of Harvard is shaped by significant financial and legal challenges, including a recent operating deficit and a federal lawsuit filed by the Trump administration on February 13, 2026, seeking admissions data. Despite these issues, the university's substantial endowment continues to grow, and it is also grappling with labor relations, with graduate students authorizing a strike vote on March 6, 2026, over pay and protections.