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Atlantic
24-07-2025
- Politics
- Atlantic
Columbia's Dangerous Agreement With the Trump Administration
Exhausted and demoralized, Columbia University agreed last night to pay the Trump administration $221 million in exchange for peace. By early next week, it will deposit the first of three installments into the U.S. Treasury, as part of a settlement that ends the government's investigations into the school's failure to protect Jewish students from discrimination. By paying tribute to the administration—and making other concessions aimed at shifting its campus culture ideologically—Columbia hopes to ensure that research grants will begin to flow again, and that the threat of deep cuts will be lifted. In the context of the administration's assault on American higher education, Columbia will feel as if it has dodged the worst. A large swath of the university community, including trustees who yearned for reform of their broken institution, may even be quietly grateful: When past presidents attempted to take even minor steps to address the problem of campus anti-Semitism, they faced resistance from faculty and obstreperous administrators. Ongoing federal monitoring of Columbia's civil-rights compliance, arguably the most significant component of the deal, will almost certainly compel the university to act more decisively in response to claims of anti-Jewish bias. Franklin Foer: Columbia University's anti-Semitism problem Columbia's decision to settle is understandable, but it's also evidence of how badly the Trump era has numbed the conscience of the American elite. To protect its funding, Columbia sacrificed its freedom. The settlement is contingent on Columbia following through on a series of promises that it made in March, when the Trump administration revoked $400 million in grants. The university agreed to install a vice provost to review academic programs focused on the Middle East to ensure they are 'balanced.' It also pledged to hire new faculty for the Institute for Israel and Jewish Studies. As it happens, I agree: Many of Columbia's programs espouse an unabashedly partisan view of the Israel-Palestine conflict, and more faculty at the Institute for Israel and Jewish Studies would be a welcome development. The fields that will receive scrutiny have professors with documented records of bigotry. Columbia has long nurtured a coterie of activist academics who regard Israel's very existence as a moral offense. Some have been accused of belittling students who challenged their views—and their example helped shape the culture of the institution. In time, students mimicked their teachers, ostracizing classmates who identified as Zionists or who simply happened to be born in Israel. After October 7, 2023, life on campus became unbearable for a meaningful number of Jewish students. But in the government's ideological intervention into campus culture, a precedent has been set: What Secretary of Education Linda McMahon calls 'a roadmap for elite universities' is a threat to the free exchange of ideas on campuses across the country, and abuse of that map is painfully easy to contemplate. In part, many people at Columbia have shrugged at the settlement's troubling provisions regulating the ideological composition of academic departments because the university already announced those steps in the spring. But it's chilling to see them enshrined in a court document—signed by the university's acting president, Claire Shipman, along with Attorney General Pam Bondi and two other Cabinet secretaries. The university's deal with the Trump administration 'was carefully crafted to protect the values that define us,' Shipman said in a statement. The settlement contains a line meant to allay critics who worry about the loss of academic freedom: 'No provision of this Agreement, individually or taken together, shall be construed as giving the United States authority to dictate faculty hiring, university admissions decisions, or the content of academic speech.' If the government doesn't like whom Columbia hires, it can raise its concerns with a mutually agreed-upon 'monitor' named Bart Schwartz, a former prosecutor who worked under Rudy Giuliani during his tenure as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, who will ostensibly render a neutral verdict. Schwartz's ruling, however, won't be binding. And if the government remains dissatisfied with Columbia's conduct, it reserves the right to open a new investigation. But Shipman's protestations of independence ring hollow. The university has already agreed, under duress, to alter the ideological contours of its faculty. And even if I happen to support those particular changes, I can't ignore the principle they establish. The tactics now being used to achieve outcomes I favor can just as easily be turned toward results I find abhorrent. That's the nature of the American culture war. One side unearths a novel tactic; the other side applies it as retribution. The Trump administration is likely to take the Columbia template and press it more aggressively upon other schools. It will transpose this victory into other contexts, using it to pursue broader purges of its perceived enemies. There's no need to speculate about hidden motives: Both Donald Trump and Vice President J. D. Vance have been explicit about their desire to diminish the power and prestige of the American university, to strip it of its ability to inculcate ideas they find abhorrent. They are trying to tame a profession they regard as a cultural adversary. 'This is a monumental victory for conservatives who wanted to do things on these elite campuses for a long time because we had such far-left-leaning professors,' McMahon told Fox Business. Universities are desperately in need of reform. The paucity of intellectual pluralism in the academy undermines the integrity of the pursuit of knowledge. Failure of university trustees and presidents to make these changes on their own terms has invited government intervention. But the government has a new toehold in faculty rooms, not just at Columbia, but at every private university in the country.
Boston Globe
24-07-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
What we know about Columbia University's deal with Trump
What does the agreement say about antisemitism? To settle civil rights claims against the university for allegedly failing to protect students from antisemitic harassment, Columbia will pay a fine of $200 million to the federal government over three years, in three annual installments. Advertisement Columbia also agrees to abide by pledges it made in March to the Trump administration to reduce antisemitism and rein in protests on campus. Among them: Columbia will keep its new senior vice provost, who will review Columbia's regional studies programs, including their leadership and curricula, starting with the university's Middle East programs. Columbia will appoint new faculty who have affiliations with the Institute for Israel and Jewish Studies and other departments. The university will maintain restrictions that bar students from protesting inside academic buildings and will require that demonstrators wearing masks show identification when asked. Columbia also agrees to employ some public safety officers with arrest powers. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up To further support Jewish life on campus, Columbia will add an administrator to serve as a liaison to students experiencing antisemitism issues. Advertisement What else does Columbia agree to do? The university also pledges to follow the law in areas important to the Trump administration. For example, Columbia will 'not maintain programs that promote unlawful efforts' related to diversity, equity and inclusion and will not take race, color, sex or national origin into account in hiring decisions. The university will abide by the Supreme Court's decision ending affirmative action in college admissions. To prove it is following the law, Columbia will provide statistical information to the government about rejected and admitted students broken down by race, GPA and performance on standardized tests, for all its schools. Columbia will also comply with laws related to international students and agree to inform the Department of Homeland Security when a student is expelled, suspended or arrested. (The provision requiring the university to report about arrests is new; the other provisions were already required.) Columbia will also 'take steps to decrease financial dependence on international student enrollment.' To satisfy the Trump administration's understanding of Title IX, the 1972 civil rights law that prohibits sex-based discrimination, Columbia will provide single-sex housing for women who request it, and 'all-female sports, locker rooms, and showering facilities.' Columbia will also follow existing law on the need to disclose foreign gifts above a certain amount. How will the agreement be enforced? A monitor who is approved by the university and the federal government will be appointed, and paid by Columbia, to make sure that the university and the federal government abide by their commitments. The monitor, who is named in the agreement as Bart M. Schwartz, a former prosecutor, will answer to Columbia's president and provide a report every six months. If Columbia or the federal government identifies an issue related to the agreement that needs addressing, they can take the matter to an arbitrator, who will issue an opinion that is not binding. If that fails to solve the problem, legal action can be taken. Columbia officials are hoping that this alternative dispute resolution mechanism, and the monitor, will provide a buffer between the university and the Trump administration. Advertisement A whistleblower hotline will be established for any member of the community to report allegations of noncompliance. Does the deal protect Columbia's academic independence? According to Columbia, it does. The agreement contains a sentence that says that 'no provision of this agreement, individually or taken together, shall be construed as giving the United States authority to dictate faculty hiring, university hiring, admissions decisions or the content of academic speech.' How much money is at stake? The Trump administration froze and canceled more than $400 million in federal research funding in March, saying that Columbia was not doing enough to protect Jewish students from antisemitic harassment. But it became clear over time that the real risk exposure was much greater. Columbia estimates that about $1.3 billion annually in federal scientific research funding would have been at risk if no deal had been made, enough to shut down much of the university's research enterprise. What does Columbia get out of the deal? The main gain is the return of federal research funding. Columbia will get off the federal blacklist and be able to again get federal grant funding. Scientists will again be able to draw from grant funds that were approved but have been frozen. And the university's scientists will be able to compete again for new federal grants. The deal will also settle pending investigations and compliance reviews regarding Columbia's compliance with Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which bars discrimination based on race, color, national origin and other factors. And the agreement provides Columbia with a framework to contain future confrontations with the Trump administration before they spiral out of control. Advertisement This article originally appeared in
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.
