'You've failed Jewish students': Stefanik grills CUNY Chancellor over 'Nazi symbol' and antisemitism
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Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Trump administration pushes penalties in campus antisemitism cases, using Columbia deal as roadmap
The Trump administration is reshaping how US universities are held accountable for campus antisemitism, introducing a new enforcement strategy that combines financial penalties with sweeping institutional reforms. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now At the center of this shift is a $200 million settlement with Columbia University, now being used as a template for similar deals under negotiation with elite schools like Harvard. Unlike past administrations, which typically resolved such civil rights investigations through voluntary, non-punitive measures, the current approach signals a more aggressive federal stance. With billions in research funding frozen across institutions and growing pressure to overhaul policies around admissions, hiring, and campus culture, the higher education sector is facing an unprecedented moment of federal intervention, one that may permanently alter its relationship with Washington. Federal investigations expand beyond Columbia Dozens of universities are under federal investigation over alleged failures to respond to antisemitism on campus. The scrutiny has intensified since the onset of the Israel-Hamas conflict, with the administration focusing on whether institutions created or allowed hostile environments for Jewish students and employees. Top-tier institutions like Harvard, Cornell, and Northwestern are among those being investigated. These cases are no longer being treated as routine civil rights probes. Instead, they are being positioned as opportunities for broader systemic change within American higher education. Columbia's settlement becomes the national model The turning point came with Columbia University's agreement to a $200 million fine and a series of structural commitments aimed at addressing antisemitism and campus governance. This deal restored Columbia's access to previously frozen federal funds but came with far-reaching conditions. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Key elements of the Columbia agreement include: Admissions and hiring decisions must be made on a strictly merit-based basis, excluding considerations of race or identity. The university must hire additional Jewish Studies faculty and increase visibility of Jewish cultural programming. Columbia is required to reduce its reliance on international students in both undergraduate and graduate programs. An independent federal monitor will oversee implementation and ensure continued compliance through periodic audits and disclosures. This framework has now become a model for future settlements, with officials pushing for similar terms in negotiations with other universities. Funding freezes escalate pressure on institutions In tandem with these negotiations, the administration has deployed one of its most forceful tools: freezing federal research and development funding. Cornell University is facing a freeze exceeding $1 billion, while Northwestern University has had nearly $790 million in funding halted. Harvard, though still in talks with the administration, risks similar measures if a deal is not reached. These funding cuts threaten not only the universities' research capabilities but also their ability to support graduate students, global collaborations, and federally funded initiatives across disciplines. The financial pressure is designed to accelerate settlements while sending a strong message about the consequences of non-compliance. New norms: Compliance, oversight, and campus culture The shift from advisory resolutions to enforceable, monitored settlements introduces a new paradigm in federal-university relations. The Columbia deal goes beyond addressing specific incidents; it demands transformation of institutional culture and governance. This includes altering how universities approach: Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) frameworks International recruitment strategies Campus free speech, protests, and political expression Universities must now reconcile these mandates with their traditional commitments to academic freedom and inclusive learning environments. Many administrators are also concerned about the growing legal complexity and political sensitivity surrounding campus governance. Impacts for students and faculty These developments will likely have lasting effects on student life and academic operations. Students may encounter changes to admissions criteria, particularly regarding affirmative action and race-based considerations. Faculty recruitment may prioritize specific disciplines, such as Jewish Studies, while international students could face reduced admission quotas in certain programs. Moreover, the role of external monitors and federal auditors on campus could introduce new constraints on academic decision-making, student activism, and institutional autonomy. For both students and educators, the evolving landscape introduces uncertainty around policies, protections, and future planning. A federal roadmap with national implications The Trump administration has made clear that the Columbia settlement is not a one-time solution but rather a roadmap for widespread reform in the US higher education system. As Harvard and other universities enter settlement discussions, the inclusion of monetary fines, mandatory oversight, and structural policy shifts is becoming the new standard. This approach is likely to reshape how universities approach compliance, student rights, and cultural inclusion in the years ahead. At stake is not just funding but also the long-standing balance between institutional independence and government accountability—a balance now being actively redefined on America's campuses. TOI Education is on WhatsApp now. Follow us .
New Indian Express
an hour ago
- New Indian Express
UN gathering to revive Palestinian statehood push amid Israel's brutal Gaza war
UNITED NATIONS: Fired by France's imminent recognition of Palestinian statehood, UN members meet next week to breathe life into the push for a two-state solution as Israel, expected to be absent, presses its war in Gaza. Days before the July 28-30 conference on fostering Israeli and Palestinian states living peacefully side-by-side to be co-chaired by Riyadh and Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France would formally recognize the State of Palestine in September. His declaration "will breathe new life into a conference that seemed destined to irrelevance," said Richard Gowan, an analyst at International Crisis Group. "Macron's announcement changes the game. Other participants will be scrabbling to decide if they should also declare an intent to recognize Palestine." According to an AFP database, at least 142 of the 193 UN member states -- including France -- now recognize the Palestinian state proclaimed by the Palestinian leadership in exile in 1988. In 1947, a resolution of the UN General Assembly decided on the partition of Palestine, then under a British mandate, into two independent states -- one Jewish and the other Arab. The following year, the State of Israel was proclaimed, and for several decades, the vast majority of UN member states have supported the idea of a two-state solution: Israeli and Palestinian, living side-by-side peacefully and securely. But after more than 21 months of war in Gaza, the ongoing expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, and senior Israeli officials declaring designs to annex occupied territory, it is feared a Palestinian state could be geographically impossible. The war in Gaza started following a deadly attack by Hamas on Israel, which responded with a large-scale military response that has claimed tens of thousands of Palestinian lives. The New York conference is a response to the crisis, with Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa and several dozen ministers from around the world expected to attend.
News18
19 hours ago
- News18
How Frances recognition of state of Palestine could shift Middle East dynamics
Paris, Jul 25 (AP) France's bold decision to recognise the state of Palestine could help to shift conversations about the future of the Middle East, even if it's unlikely to have an immediate impact for people in Gaza or on Israel's war with Hamas. In a world where nations are again using military force to impose their will on others — notably Russia in Ukraine, and the US and Israel with their recent strikes on Iran and its nuclear facilities — French President Emmanuel Macron is attempting to strike a blow for diplomacy and its inherent idea that war, ultimately, rarely brings peace. With less than two years left of his second and last term as president, Macron also has his legacy to think about. Not acting decisively as a humanitarian disaster unfolds in Gaza could, when history books are written, be a stain. Macron has levers to influence world affairs as leader of a nuclear-armed, economically and diplomatically powerful country that also sits at the big table at the United Nations, as one of the five permanent members of its security council. Being the first and, for the moment, only member of the G7 group of industrialised nations to take this leap carries domestic risks. Presiding over a country with both Europe's largest Jewish population and largest Muslim population in western Europe, Macron is on a public opinion tightrope. His words will please some voters but infuriate others — a fact reflected by deeply divided political reactions in France to his decision announced on X on Thursday evening. But after staunchly backing Israel's right to defend itself against Hamas and its October 7, 2023 attack that triggered the war, Macron is signalling that France's support can only go so far. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the shift by one of his country's closer allies in Europe. 'Such a move rewards terror and risks creating another Iranian proxy, just as Gaza became," he said in a statement. 'A Palestinian state in these conditions would be a launch pad to annihilate Israel — not to live in peace beside it." A step but not a magic wand The idea that Palestinians and Israelis could live side by side in peace in their own states has perhaps never looked more unrealistic — with Gaza in ruins and the occupied West Bank facing increasing settlement by Israelis. Macron's words alone won't change that. Still, the French leader's message is that the hope of a 'two-state solution" achieved through diplomacy must not be allowed to die — however unattainable it may seem. 'This solution is the only path that can address the legitimate aspirations of both the Israelis and the Palestinians. It must now be brought about as quickly as possible," Macron said in a letter to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas which confirmed his decision to recognise Palestine as a state. 'The prospect of a negotiated solution to the conflict in the Middle East seems increasingly distant. I cannot resign myself to that," he said. The first impacts are likeliest not in Gaza but in world capitals where leaders may face pressure or feel emboldened to follow France's lead. Attention is focusing on other G7 nations, because of their economic and diplomatic sway. 'Macron's declaration could create a precedent because it would be the first Western country in the G7 to do so, which could have the effect of leading others," said David Rigoulet-Roze, a researcher at the French Institute of Strategic Analysis. Although more than 140 countries recognize Palestine as a state, France will be the biggest, most populous and most powerful among those in Europe that have taken this step. 'It creates some small momentum," said Yossi Mekelberg, a senior consulting fellow at the Chatham House think tank in London who also added, however, that 'this is not enough." 'France should be congratulated, and Macron should be congratulated for doing that and showing the courage," he said. A shift in the balance of big powers Until now, China and Russia were the only permanent members of the UN Security Council that recognised Palestinian statehood. France will join them when Macron makes good on his promise in September at the UN General Assembly. The new trio will leave the US and the UK in a security council minority as its only permanent members that don't recognise Palestine as a state. The so-called P5 nations are divided on many other issues — including Ukraine, trade and climate change — so France's shift isn't, in itself, likely to spur radical and rapid change for Palestinians. Still, if only mathematically, the US — Israel's most important ally — and the UK could find themselves more isolated among the big powers in any discussions on solutions for the Middle East. US President Donald Trump dismissed Macron's decision on Friday, saying 'What he says doesn't matter. It's not going to change anything." France may have better traction with the U.K. Putting Brexit behind them, the UK and France are now drawing closer, most notably in support for Ukraine. If British Prime Minister Keir Starmer follows Macron's example, Trump could become the odd man out on Palestinian statehood among the security council's big five powers. Starmer has signalled growing disquiet over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, saying in a statement Thursday that suffering and starvation there 'is unspeakable and indefensible." But he doesn't seem ready to take a leap like Macron, suggesting that fighting must stop first. 'Statehood is the inalienable right of the Palestinian people," Starmer said. 'A ceasefire will put us on a path to the recognition of a Palestinian state and a two-state solution." (AP) NPK NPK (This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - PTI) view comments First Published: July 25, 2025, 23:00 IST News agency-feeds How Frances recognition of state of Palestine could shift Middle East dynamics Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
