Education Department sends warning to Columbia's accreditor
The agency notified Columbia's accreditor, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, that the Education Department's Office for Civil Rights had found the school to be "in violation of federal antidiscrimination laws," according to a press release. The university, therefore, "fails to meet the standards for accreditation," the Education Department said.
There is no indication that Middle States intends to rescind Columbia's accreditation, which was granted in 1921. Accreditors are nonpartisan, independent organizations recognized by the Education Department to provide oversight of higher education institutions across the United States.
The letter is the latest swipe from President Donald Trump's administration at an Ivy League school.
Yet unlike Harvard University, Columbia agreed in March to reform elements of its teaching, hiring and admissions practices in response to a series of demands by the federal government. Still, the Trump administration has not restored $400 million in funding that it paused, halting research and prompting layoffs at the university.
Read more: Columbia University promises swift crackdown on planned pro-Palestinian encampments
In a statement on April 14, Columbia's recently installed acting president, Claire Shipman, said that although the university would "seek to continue constructive dialogue with the government," it would "reject any agreement that would require us to relinquish our independence and autonomy as an educational institution."
Rawan Abbasi, a spokesperson for Middle States, confirmed that the accreditor received the Trump administration's letter about Columbia. Abbasi declined to comment further.
Columbia University did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Zachary Schermele is an education reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach him by email at zschermele@usatoday.com. Follow him on X at @ZachSchermele and Bluesky at @zachschermele.bsky.social.
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