Latest news with #AfricanStudies
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Columbia University lays off around 180 staff after Trump administration revokes grants
Columbia University said it will cut around 180 staff members Tuesday following the Trump administration's announcement in March that it canceled $400 million in federal grants over the Ivy League school's "failure to protect Jewish students from antisemitic harassment." "Across the research portfolio we have had to make difficult choices and unfortunately, today, nearly 180 of our colleagues who have been working, in whole or in part, on impacted federal grants, will receive notices of non-renewal or termination," acting Columbia University President Claire Shipman said in a statement. "This represents about 20% of the individuals who are funded in some manner by the terminated grants. "In the coming weeks and months, we will need to continue to take actions that preserve our financial flexibility and allow us to invest in areas that drive us forward," she added. "This is a deeply challenging time across all higher education, and we are attempting to navigate through tremendous ambiguity with precision, which will be imperfect at times." The White House did not immediately respond Tuesday to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. Linda Mcmahon Blasts Harvard In Scathing Letter Telling Elite University It Will No Longer Get Federal Grants The Trump administration has canceled $400 million in federal grants to Columbia University. Columbia University said in early March that it was "notified of federal action from Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Department of Education (ED), and the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) cancelling $400 million in federal funding to the University. Read On The Fox News App "The federal agencies cite 'the school's continued inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students.' There is no question that the cancellation of these funds will immediately impact research and other critical functions of the University, impacting students, faculty, staff, research, and patient care," it added at the time. Columbia University Janitors Sue Anti-israel Agitators Accused Of Holding Them Hostage In Campus Building Students and others demonstrate during a protest outside the gates to the Columbia University main campus in New York City on April 21. Then in April, Columbia University caved in to demands from the Trump administration in an effort to restore federal funding. The Ivy League school agreed to ban masks for the purpose of concealing identity, empower 36 campus police officers with new powers to arrest students and appoint a senior vice provost with broad authority to oversee the department of Middle East, South Asian and African Studies, as well as the Center for Palestine Studies. As of today, "Columbia's leadership continues discussions with the federal government in support of resuming activity on these research awards and additional other awards that have remained active, but unpaid," according to Shipman. Members of an anti-Israel mob broke into Hamilton Hall at Columbia University on April 30, 2024. "Increasing budget constraints combined with uncertainty related to future levels of federal funding for research, including proposed reductions in facilities and administration (i.e., indirect costs) reimbursements, requires us to make difficult choices," Shipman said about the layoffs. "We have had to make deliberate, considered decisions about the allocation of our financial resources. Those decisions also impact our greatest resource, our people. We understand this news will be hard." Fox News' Louis Casiano and Alexis McAdams contributed to this report. Original article source: Columbia University lays off around 180 staff after Trump administration revokes grants
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Columbia University cuts 180 staffers funded by federal grants revoked by Trump administration
Columbia University announced Tuesday that it laid off 180 staff members working on federal grants impacted by the Trump administration's decision to revoke the university's funding. The administration cut $400 million in federal funding from Columbia in March, accusing it of "inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students." It then issued a list of demands to the university, which it mostly acceded to, to start negotiations on restoring the funding. The demands included banning students from wearing masks at protests, hiring campus security officers who can arrest students, and appointing a new senior vice provost to oversee the department of Middle East, South Asian, and African Studies. The move to cut over 100 staff members was announced in a Tuesday letter from top Columbia officials, including Acting President Claire Shipman and Provost Angela V. Olinto. In the letter, the officials said the university is "engaged in a two-pronged effort related to grants terminated by the federal government," which includes restoring partnerships with government agencies and adjusting or reducing spending in the meantime. "Columbia's leadership continues discussions with the federal government in support of resuming activity on these research awards and additional other awards that have remained active, but unpaid," the letter read. "We are working on and planning for every eventuality, but the strain in the meantime, financially and on our research mission, is intense." University officials said that, as a result of the financial strain, 180 staff members "who have been working, in whole or in part, on impacted federal grants" received notices of termination or non-renewal on Tuesday. According to officials, they represent 20% of the staff funded by the grants that the Trump administration funded. Also, due to financial strain, some schools and departments will wind down activity, and research infrastructure "will be running lighter footprints," according to the officials. "We do not make these decisions lightly," the top officials said. "We are deeply committed, at Columbia, to the critical work of invention, innovation and discovery." Last week, hundreds of Columbia University students, faculty, staff and alumni launched a 25-hour "speak out" to criticize school leaders for bowing to the Trump administration's demands after it pulled the millions in federal funding. Student David Guirgis, who was at the rally, called the administration's cuts "an all-out attack on science and academic freedom." "We are pioneers in biomedical research, legal research, and environmental science research, and all of that got cut simply because the Trump administration had a vendetta against universities," he told NBC News. Columbia "will continue to make prudent budget decisions," even in areas not impacted by federally funded research, to ensure the university's long-term financial stability," the officials said in the letter. This includes setting parameters across the university that ensure most salaries will not increase for the next fiscal year, programs to continue streamlining the university's workforce through attrition, and launching "a voluntary retirement incentive program." "In the coming weeks and months, we will need to continue to take actions that preserve our financial flexibility and allow us to invest in areas that drive us forward," officials said. "This is a deeply challenging time across all higher education, and we are attempting to navigate through tremendous ambiguity with precision, which will be imperfect at times." The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. This article was originally published on
NBC News
06-05-2025
- Politics
- NBC News
Columbia University cuts 180 staffers funded by federal grants revoked by Trump administration
Columbia University announced Tuesday that it laid off 180 staff members working on federal grants impacted by the Trump administration's decision to revoke the university's funding. The administration cut $400 million in federal funding from Columbia in March, accusing it of "inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students." It then issued a list of demands to the university, which it mostly acceded to, to start negotiations on restoring the funding. The demands included banning students from wearing masks at protests, hiring campus security officers who can arrest students, and appointing a new senior vice provost to oversee the department of Middle East, South Asian, and African Studies. The move to cut over 100 staff members was announced in a Tuesday letter from top Columbia officials, including Acting President Claire Shipman and Provost Angela V. Olinto. In the letter, the officials said the university is "engaged in a two-pronged effort related to grants terminated by the federal government," which includes restoring partnerships with government agencies and adjusting or reducing spending in the meantime. "Columbia's leadership continues discussions with the federal government in support of resuming activity on these research awards and additional other awards that have remained active, but unpaid," the letter read. "We are working on and planning for every eventuality, but the strain in the meantime, financially and on our research mission, is intense." University officials said that, as a result of the financial strain, 180 staff members "who have been working, in whole or in part, on impacted federal grants" received notices of termination or non-renewal on Tuesday. According to officials, they represent 20% of the staff funded by the grants that the Trump administration funded. Also, due to financial strain, some schools and departments will wind down activity, and research infrastructure "will be running lighter footprints," according to the officials. "We do not make these decisions lightly," the top officials said. "We are deeply committed, at Columbia, to the critical work of invention, innovation and discovery." Last week, hundreds of Columbia University students, faculty, staff and alumni launched a 25-hour " speak out" to criticize school leaders for bowing to the Trump administration's demands after it pulled the millions in federal funding. Student David Guirgis, who was at the rally, called the administration's cuts "an all-out attack on science and academic freedom." "We are pioneers in biomedical research, legal research, and environmental science research, and all of that got cut simply because the Trump administration had a vendetta against universities," he told NBC News. Columbia "will continue to make prudent budget decisions," even in areas not impacted by federally funded research, to ensure the university's long-term financial stability," the officials said in the letter. This includes setting parameters across the university that ensure most salaries will not increase for the next fiscal year, programs to continue streamlining the university's workforce through attrition, and launching "a voluntary retirement incentive program." "In the coming weeks and months, we will need to continue to take actions that preserve our financial flexibility and allow us to invest in areas that drive us forward," officials said. "This is a deeply challenging time across all higher education, and we are attempting to navigate through tremendous ambiguity with precision, which will be imperfect at times."
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lawmakers nix ethnic studies classes in final hours of session after Trump administration threat
Just before 9 p.m. on the last night of Indiana's legislative session, a massive bill intended to deregulate the state's education system narrowly passed the Senate, with some new language that the public had never provided testimony on. The amended House Bill 1002 was released hours before the vote, removing a 2017 requirement for high schools to offer an optional racial or ethnic studies course. One of the bill's co-sponsors, Jeff Raatz, R-Richmond, said the amendment came from a request from the Trump administration, which has threatened to revoke education funding from states thought to be promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in schools. The administration sent a Feb. 14 letter to all states' education secretaries that said schools needed to provide an environment free from discrimination to keep receiving vital financial support. Currently, Indiana receives a bit under $2 billion in federal funding for education. The feds' missive cited discrimination against white students and said teaching "that certain racial groups bear unique moral burdens that others do not" propagates stigma. The contentious legislation, which was criticized by both Democrats and Republican, moved forward by a margin of two votes in the Senate - one of the closest votes this session. It passed the House by a 61-25 vote earlier that day. Sen. Mike Young, R-Indianapolis, was infuriated by the last-minute change. "This is bull crap," said Young, who doesn't caucus with Republicans. "You've got a 116 page bill. You've got 30 minutes to read it. We should have more time than that." Sen. Andrea Hunley, D-Indianapolis, pointed out that the letter didn't reference racial or ethnic studies curricula, and that it warned of a potential, not certain, loss of funding. "There are a lot of qualifiers in there that would make me seek legal opinion before taking action," Hunley said. Earlier on Thursday, Reuters reported that federal judges in New Hampshire, Maryland and Washington, D.C. blocked the federal government from following through on the funding cuts threatened in the February letter. More: Republican lawmakers split over massive education deregulation bill. What the bill does Even before the last-minute changes, lawmakers had voiced frustration that the book-length bill's broad scope makes it difficult to explain to constituents. Among more than 65 additions to Indiana's legal code, the legislation cuts teacher training requirements, allows schools to charge parents for curricular materials, and removes the requirement for the state's secretary of education to have a background in education or to have lived in Indiana for more than two years prior to being appointed. Supporters, meanwhile, said the bill would streamline Indiana's educational code and offer school districts more flexibility. If the law passes, students could see classes such as African Studies, Comparative Religions and Ethnic Literature disappear from their course catalogs. Sen. Greg Taylor, D-Indianapolis, wrote the 2017 bill that the new law will nullify. He told colleagues on Thursday night that there's never been a requirement to take the ethnic studies classes — only for schools to offer them. "There are many ethnicities out in this audience today," Taylor said. "And you're going to tell me that we are not brave enough to hold pat on an elective course for kids because the federal government says, 'We could cut your funding?'" There was no opportunity for public comment on the version of the bill that now awaits Gov. Mike Braun's signature. The Indiana Department of Education did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Ryan Murphy is the communities reporter for IndyStar. She can be reached at rhmurphy@ This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Lawmakers nix ethnic studies classes after Trump administration threat
Indianapolis Star
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Indianapolis Star
Lawmakers nix ethnic studies classes in final hours of session after Trump administration threat
Just before 9 p.m. on the last night of Indiana's legislative session, a massive bill intended to deregulate the state's education system narrowly passed the Senate, with some new language that the public had never provided testimony on. The amended House Bill 1002 was released hours before the vote, removing a 2017 requirement for high schools to offer an optional racial or ethnic studies course. One of the bill's co-sponsors, Jeff Raatz, R-Richmond, said the amendment came from a request from the Trump administration, which has threatened to revoke education funding from states thought to be promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in schools. The administration sent a Feb. 14 letter to all states' education secretaries that said schools needed to provide an environment free from discrimination to keep receiving vital financial support. Currently, Indiana receives a bit under $2 billion in federal funding for education. The feds' missive cited discrimination against white students and said teaching "that certain racial groups bear unique moral burdens that others do not" propagates stigma. The contentious legislation, which was criticized by both Democrats and Republican, moved forward by a margin of two votes in the Senate - one of the closest votes this session. It passed the House by a 61-25 vote earlier that day. Sen. Mike Young, R-Indianapolis, was infuriated by the last-minute change. "This is bull crap," said Young, who doesn't caucus with Republicans. "You've got a 116 page bill. You've got 30 minutes to read it. We should have more time than that." Sen. Andrea Hunley, D-Indianapolis, pointed out that the letter didn't reference racial or ethnic studies curricula, and that it warned of a potential, not certain, loss of funding. "There are a lot of qualifiers in there that would make me seek legal opinion before taking action," Hunley said. Earlier on Thursday, Reuters reported that federal judges in New Hampshire, Maryland and Washington, D.C. blocked the federal government from following through on the funding cuts threatened in the February letter. Even before the last-minute changes, lawmakers had voiced frustration that the book-length bill's broad scope makes it difficult to explain to constituents. Among more than 65 additions to Indiana's legal code, the legislation cuts teacher training requirements, allows schools to charge parents for curricular materials, and removes the requirement for the state's secretary of education to have a background in education or to have lived in Indiana for more than two years prior to being appointed. Supporters, meanwhile, said the bill would streamline Indiana's educational code and offer school districts more flexibility. If the law passes, students could see classes such as African Studies, Comparative Religions and Ethnic Literature disappear from their course catalogs. Sen. Greg Taylor, D-Indianapolis, wrote the 2017 bill that the new law will nullify. He told colleagues on Thursday night that there's never been a requirement to take the ethnic studies classes — only for schools to offer them. "There are many ethnicities out in this audience today," Taylor said. "And you're going to tell me that we are not brave enough to hold pat on an elective course for kids because the federal government says, 'We could cut your funding?'" There was no opportunity for public comment on the version of the bill that now awaits Gov. Mike Braun's signature. The Indiana Department of Education did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
