On Friday, the federal government said it will withdraw $400 million earmarked for Columbia, canceling grants and contracts with the university, citing Ivy League institution’s “inability” to crack down on anti-Semitism on campus. The latter, in recent months, has been the scene of several pro-Palestinian demonstrations.
The news came after Columbia established a new disciplinary committee and stepped up its investigation of students who had expressed dissent against Israel, alarming free speech advocates.
Apparently the Trump administration did not feel that the measures taken by the university’s top leadership were sufficient. “Universities must comply with all federal anti-discrimination laws if they are going to receive federal funding”, Education Secretary Linda McMahon said yesterday, “For too long, Columbia has abandoned that obligation to Jewish students studying on its campus.”
“We take Columbia’s legal obligations seriously and understand how serious this announcement is and are committed to combating antisemitism and ensuring the safety and well-being of our students, faculty and staff,” the university said in a statement.
At the moment, it is unclear which Columbia projects or activities will be affected by the cuts promoted by the Trump administration.
The measure comes as the university’s research project managers are finalizing budgets for the coming academic year. They now greatly fear the consequences that could result from the government’s decision.
The executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, Donna Lieberman, called the measure an unconstitutional government effort “to coerce colleges and universities into censoring student speech and advocacy that isn’t MAGA-approved, like criticizing Israel or supporting Palestinian rights.”
In contrast, the Columbia/Barnard Hillel, a Jewish student group at the university, welcomed the choice of Trump and associates, explaining that it will serve as a wake-up call to university administrators, who will now “have to start taking anti-Semitism and harassment of Jewish students and faculty seriously.”
Last spring, pro-Palestinian protesters set up an encampment on campus, and inspired a wave of similar protests in different areas of the country. The participants then occupied a building before the arrival of an NYPD riot squad, who cleared the area and arrested dozens of students.
A few weeks later, a university task force declared that Jews and Israelis in the school had been ostracized by student groups, humiliated in classrooms and subjected to verbal insults during spring demonstrations.
At the same time, many people who took part in the protests said there was nothing anti-Semitic about criticizing Israel for its actions in Gaza or expressing solidarity with Palestinians.
