Harvard University cited "rapidly shifting federal policies" in its announcement Monday, but didn't elaborate on what it meant.

In a move that has sent shockwaves through the academic community, Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have implemented temporary hiring freezes in response to the Trump administration’s widening crackdown on universities.

Harvard University and MIT have implemented hiring freezes as the White House crackdown on higher education continues to escalate. Why it matters: Austerity measures at Massachusetts' two most prominent and wealthiest universities mean trouble for the state,

Harvard and MIT are putting temporary freezes on new hiring as they and other colleges respond to uncertainty and potential drops in federal funding.