Latest news with #InstituteforIsraelandJewishStudies
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Columbia U. 'on the right track' to recover federal funding: Education Sec.
The Brief Columbia University is "on the right track" to regain federal funding after agreeing to policy changes demanded by the Trump administration, according to Education Secretary Linda McMahon. Changes include new oversight for the Middle East studies department, revised protest rules, and expanded staffing for the Institute for Israel and Jewish Studies. The Trump administration's withdrawal of $400 million in funding over pro-Palestinian protests has sparked controversy, with criticism from faculty and free speech groups. NEW YORK - U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon said Columbia University is "on the right track" toward recovering federal funding after the elite New York City university agreed to implement a host of policy changes demanded by the Trump administration. Appearing on CNN's "State of the Union" Sunday, McMahon described "great conversations" with Columbia's interim president, Katrina Armstrong. "She said she knew that this was her responsibility to make sure that children on her campus were safe," McMahon said. "She wanted to make sure there was no discrimination of any kind. She wanted to address any systemic issues that were identified relative to the antisemitism on campus." Armstrong announced Friday that the university would put its Middle East studies department under new supervision and overhaul its rules for protests and student discipline. It also agreed to adopt a new definition of antisemitism and expand "intellectual diversity" by staffing up its Institute for Israel and Jewish Studies, according to an outline posted on its website. Earlier this month, the Trump administration pulled $400 million in research grants and other funding over how the university handled protests against Israel's military campaign in Gaza. In order to consider restoring those funds and billions more in future grants, federal officials demanded nine separate changes to the university's academic and security policies. Armstrong's decision acceding to the administration's demands drew condemnation from some faculty and free speech groups, who accused the university of caving to President Donald Trump's largely unprecedented intrusion on academic freedom. Asked whether the university had done enough to secure its funding, McMahon said: "We are on the right track now to make sure the final negotiations to unfreeze that money will be in place." The Trump administration's crackdown on Columbia University, where a massive pro-Palestinian protest movement began with a tent encampment last spring, has thrust the campus into crisis and sparked fears of similar actions at colleges across the country. Federal immigration officials on March 8 arrested Mahmoud Khalil, an activist who served as a spokesperson and negotiator for pro-Palestinian demonstrators last year. Khalil, a legal permanent resident, is challenging his detention and potential deportation in court.
Al-Ahram Weekly
23-03-2025
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Under Trump threat: Columbia University implements restrictive reforms - War on Gaza
Columbia University agreed Friday to put its Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies Department under new supervision and overhaul its rules for student discipline, acquiescing to an extraordinary ultimatum by the Trump administration to implement those and other changes or risk losing billions of dollars in federal funding. As part of the sweeping reforms, Columbia University will adopt a new definition of antisemitism and expand 'intellectual diversity' by staffing up its Institute for Israel and Jewish Studies, according to a letter published Friday by the interim president, Katrina Armstrong. The announcement drew immediate condemnation from some faculty, students, and free speech groups, who accused the university of caving to President Donald Trump's largely unprecedented intrusion upon the school's academic freedom. 'Columbia's capitulation endangers academic freedom and campus expression nationwide,' Donna Lieberman, the executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, said in a statement. Earlier this month, the Trump administration pulled $400 million in research grants and other funding over the university's handling of protests against Israel's genocide in Gaza. As a precondition to restoring those funds — along with billions more in future grants — federal officials last week demanded the university immediately enact nine separate reforms to its academic and security policies. In her response Friday, Armstrong indicated Columbia would implement nearly all of them. As ordered, it will hire new public safety personnel and empower them to make arrests on campus, bar students from protesting in academic buildings, and revamp its long-standing process for student discipline. Students will no longer be permitted to wear face masks on campus 'for the purposes of concealing one's identity.' An exception would be made for people wearing them for health or religious reasons. The university will also appoint a new senior provost to review the leadership and curriculum of several international studies departments to 'ensure the educational offerings are comprehensive and balanced.' The appointment appeared to be a concession to the Trump administration's most contentious demand: that the university places its Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies Department and the Center for Palestine Studies under 'academic receivership for a minimum of five years.' The Trump administration has repeatedly accused Columbia University of letting antisemitism go unchecked at protests against Israel that began at the university last spring and quickly spread to other campuses — a characterization disputed by those involved in the demonstrations. In her letter, Armstrong said the university had worked hard to 'address the legitimate concerns raised both from within and without our Columbia community, including by our regulators, with respect to the discrimination, harassment, and antisemitic acts our Jewish community has faced.' 'The way Columbia and Columbians have been portrayed is hard to reckon with,' she added. 'We have challenges, yes, but they do not define us.' The Trump administration has ratcheted up its attacks on Columbia in recent weeks, thrusting the campus into crisis and sparking fears of additional reprisals at colleges across the country. On March 8, federal immigration officials arrested Mahmoud Khalil, a prominent Palestinian activist, and legal permanent resident in his university-owned apartment building — the 'first of many' attempted deportations, according to Trump. Justice Department leaders say they are also investigating whether Columbia hid students sought by the US over their roles in the demonstrations. While Trump has made Columbia the most visible target of his crackdown on higher education, he has warned other universities that they will face cuts if they do not embrace his agenda. His administration announced investigations into 52 universities for diversity, equity, and inclusion programmes. And it has suspended approximately $175 million in federal funding for the University of Pennsylvania over a transgender swimmer who last competed for the school in 2022. On Friday, free speech groups warned Columbia's response to Trump's threat would reverberate far beyond the Manhattan campus. "Shaking under government pressure, Columbia crumbled," said Tyler Coward, the lead counsel for government affairs at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. 'If Columbia — with its immense resources and influence — can't stand up to government demands that threaten free speech, what are other colleges to do?' *Ahram Online edited this article. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Arab News
21-03-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Under threat from Trump, Columbia University agrees to policy changes
NEW YORK: Columbia University agreed Friday to put its Middle East studies department under new supervision and overhaul its rules for protests and student discipline, acquiescing to an extraordinary ultimatum by the Trump administration to implement those and other changes or risk losing billions of dollars in federal funding. As part of the sweeping reforms, the university will also adopt a new definition of antisemitism and expand 'intellectual diversity' by staffing up its Institute for Israel and Jewish Studies, according to a letter published Friday by the interim president, Katrina Armstrong. The announcement drew immediate condemnation from some faculty and free speech groups, who accused the university of caving to President Donald Trump's largely unprecedented intrusion upon the school's academic freedom. 'Columbia's capitulation endangers academic freedom and campus expression nationwide,' Donna Lieberman, the executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, said in a statement. Earlier this month, the Trump administration pulled $400 million in research grants and other funding over the university's handling of protests against Israel's military campaign in Gaza. As a precondition to restoring those funds — along with billions more in future grants — federal officials last week demanded the university immediately enact nine separate reforms to its academic and security policies. In her response Friday, Armstrong indicated Columbia would implement nearly all of them. She agreed to reform the college's long-standing disciplinary process and bar protests inside academic buildings. Students will not be permitted to wear face masks on campus 'for the purposes of concealing one's identity.' An exception would be made for people wearing them for health reasons. The university will also appoint a new senior provost to review the leadership and curriculum of several international studies departments to 'ensure the educational offerings are comprehensive and balanced.' The appointment appeared to be a concession to the Trump administration's most contentious demand: that the university places its Middle Eastern, South Asian and African Studies Department under 'academic receivership for a minimum of five years.' 'It's an escalation of a kind that is unheard of,' Joan Scott, a historian and member of the academic freedom committee of the American Association of University Professors, said of the call for receivership last week. 'Even during the McCarthy period in the United States, this was not done.' The Trump administration has repeatedly accused Columbia University of letting antisemitism go unchecked at protests against Israel that began at the university last spring and quickly spread to other campuses. In her letter, Armstrong wrote that 'the way Columbia and Columbians have been portrayed is hard to reckon with. We have challenges, yes, but they do not define us.' While Trump has made Columbia the most visible target of his crackdown on higher education, he has put other universities on notice that they will face cuts if they do not embrace his agenda. Last week, his administration announced investigations into 52 universities for their diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Columbia agrees to Trump demands on campus antisemitism to win back $400 million federal funding
Columbia University has largely agreed to a series of sweeping changes the Trump administration demanded from the university to restore $400 million in suspended federal funding. The university will give police new powers to arrest students, partially ban face masks, and appoint a university official to oversee changes at a suite of university departments. 'We have worked hard to address the legitimate concerns raised both from within and without our Columbia community, including by our regulators, with respect to the discrimination, harassment, and antisemitic acts our Jewish community has faced in the wake of October 7, 2023,' the university said in a memo. 'Our response to the government agencies outlines the substantive work we've been doing over the last academic year to advance our mission, ensure uninterrupted academic activities, and make every student, faculty, and staff member safe and welcome on our campus,' interim president Katrina Armstrong said in an accompanying statement. The agreement includes the university hiring 36 'special police officers' who 'will have the ability to remove individuals from campus and/or arrest them when appropriate,' according to the document. It also announces a senior provost will review a large portfolio of academic departments related to the Middle East, echoing a call from the Trump administration to put some such departments under 'receivership.' The programs include the Center for Palestine Studies; the Institute for Israel and Jewish Studies; and the department of Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies; as well as Columbia's global hubs in Tel Aviv and Amman, Jordan. Columbia added that it has adopted a position of 'institutional neutrality,' and will be seeking to expand 'intellectual diversity' through appointments to its Institute for Israel and Jewish Studies and the departments of Economics, Political Science, and School for International and Public Affairs. The White House had accused the university of failing to stop on-campus antisemitism during large-scale pro-Palestine protests in 2023 and 2024, and demanded the university make the changes in a letter sent to campus officials last week. The academic world has been closely watching for Columbia's response to the demands, part of the administration's attempts to stop what it sees as rising antisemitism and pro-Hamas sentiment on campus. Critics say the Trump administration is in fact attempting to crack down on criticism of the U.S.-Israel alliance and stifle left-leaning speech more broadly. Some, like Columbia's Jewish alumni association, had called for the school to accept the changes. 'We urge Columbia to ignore all media framing, TAKE THIS LIFELINE, and act decisively now to restore the mission and the future of the university,' it wrote in a statement on X on Wednesday. 'This has been an immensely difficult time. Let's not lose this opportunity to restore our beautiful school's legacy.' Others saw the White House stance as a sign of encroaching authoritarianism. 'This attempt to discipline and control a university campus is a transparent hallmark of authoritarian rule and harshly violates the central mission of education: teaching, research, and service to the broader society for the public good. We also believe it to be illegal,' the American Association of University Professors said in a statement when the Trump administration first outlined its demands. At the same time the administration has put pressure on Columbia financially, it has also directed immigration agents to arrest non-citizen students and recent graduates over their involvement in the pro-Palestine protests, arguing they threaten U.S. national interests. The arrest this month of recent Columbia graduate and U.S. legal permanent resident Mahmoud Khalil has become a widely watched case around the country. The administration accuses Khalil, a campus protest leader, of supporting Hamas, which he denies. Khalil is challenging his detention and argues it violates his First and Fifth Amendment rights. The university has taken other controversial actions on its own, including a expelling a Jewish student union leader who participated in the protests right before contract negotiations. Other universities may soon experience something like Columbia. The Department of Education warned at least 60 colleges and universities this month of their obligations to protect the rights of Jewish students, noting federal financial support 'is a privilege, and it is contingent on scrupulous adherence to federal anti-discrimination laws.'
