The U.S. House Judiciary Committee escalated its probe into Ivy League universities on Thursday by issuing a subpoena to Harvard University, seeking documents and communications related to tuition pricing and financial aid policies. The move intensifies a Republican-led investigation into alleged financial misconduct at elite institutions.

In a letter to Harvard President Alan Garber, Committee Chair Jim Jordan and Representative Scott Fitzgerald criticized the university’s previous cooperation as insufficient. They argued that the subpoena was essential to meet the committee’s oversight obligations.

“We are concerned that Ivy League institutions are collectively inflating tuition costs while employing targeted financial aid strategies to maximize revenue,” the lawmakers wrote, suggesting these practices may amount to “perfect price discrimination.”

The committee’s inquiry centers on whether top universities have engaged in anti-competitive behavior, including potential violations of antitrust laws, by coordinating tuition hikes and tailoring aid packages in ways that reduce competition.

Harvard responded by calling the subpoena “unwarranted, unfair and unnecessary,” asserting that the university has already shared thousands of documents outlining its tuition and aid policies. A spokesperson rejected the notion of collusion, stating, “There is no basis for any allegation that Harvard has acted improperly in setting tuition or awarding financial aid.”

The subpoena adds to a growing wave of political scrutiny targeting higher education institutions, particularly concerning their financial practices and perceived lack of transparency.