Stanford law professor Lisa Ouellette, an expert on intellectual property, called the administration’s move “unprecedented,” and said she was confused by the administration’s intentions.

“There’s no articulation of any legal theory. It seems clear there is a political motivation, but it’s not clear this is even an effective way to punish Harvard,” Ouellette said, explaining that many universities don’t make money on their patents. When all costs are factored in, such as paying for faculty time and other expenses, some colleges even lose money.

According to Stanford’s Ouellette, universities must be wary of broad attacks on their academic research.

“Universities should do more to show, in concrete ways, how their research serves the public — and be clear that they’ll challenge unlawful interference with the academic freedom that makes this research possible,” Ouellette said.