Latest news with #antiDiscrimination
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Columbia University to pay $200 mn in clash with Trump
Columbia University said Wednesday it will pay $200 million to the US government after President Donald Trump threatened to pull federal funding over what he said was its unwillingness to protect Jewish students. In a sweeping deal that will restore the prestigious New York institution's federal monies, Columbia has pledged to obey rules that bar it from taking race into consideration in admissions or hiring, among other concessions. "Columbia University has reached an agreement with the United States government to resolve multiple federal agency investigations into alleged violations of federal anti-discrimination laws," a statement said, adding that the $200 million would be paid over three years. The university will also pay $21 million to settle investigations brought by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, it said. "Under today's agreement, a vast majority of the federal grants which were terminated or paused in March 2025 will be reinstated and Columbia's access to billions of dollars in current and future grants will be restored," the statement said. The promise of the federal funding spigot reopening offers relief for the university, which was under growing financial pressure, despite a comfortable endowment and a reputation it can bank on. The agreement also represents a victory for Trump, who has repeatedly claimed elite universities brainwash students against his nationalist ideas with left-wing bias. The centuries-old Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is also in a fight with the administration over Trump's threats to rip away federal funding, and Wednesday's carefully worded agreement -- in which Columbia admitted no wrongdoing -- could offer a framework for future deals. "This agreement marks an important step forward after a period of sustained federal scrutiny and institutional uncertainty," Columbia's acting president Claire Shipman said. "The settlement was carefully crafted to protect the values that define us and allow our essential research partnership with the federal government to get back on track. "Importantly, it safeguards our independence, a critical condition for academic excellence and scholarly exploration, work that is vital to the public interest." - Disciplinary actions - Under the settlement, Columbia will maintain a security force to prevent demonstrations in academic spaces, such as those that rocked the campus last year when pro-Palestinian protestors clashed with law enforcement and occupied university buildings. The school also agreed to "promptly provide" federal authorities with any requested information on "disciplinary actions involving student visa-holders resulting in expulsions or suspensions, and arrest records that Columbia is aware of for criminal activity, including trespass or other violation of law." Columbia found itself at the center of a firestorm last year over claims of anti-Semitism triggered by campus protests against Israel's war in Gaza. Some Jewish students claimed they were intimidated and that authorities did not act to protect them. The school announced a wave of various student punishments on Tuesday, including expulsions and degree revocations, against nearly 80 students involved in the pro-Palestinian protest movement that has called on the university to divest from Israel. "Our institution must focus on delivering on its academic mission for our community," Columbia said in a statement about student protests on its campus. "Disruptions to academic activities are in violation of University policies and rules, and such violations will necessarily generate consequences." While the university appears to be acquiescing to the Trump administration's demands to quash student protest, one of the most prominent leaders of the US pro-Palestinian campus protests is still raising his voice. Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate active in campus demonstrations, has sued the Trump administration for $20 million over his arrest and detention by immigration agents. Khalil, a legal permanent resident of the United States who is married to a US citizen, missed the birth of his son while being held in a federal immigration detention center in Louisiana. He called the lawsuit a "first step towards accountability." hg/sla/jgc
Free Malaysia Today
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Harvard accreditation threatened by US, student data subpoenaed
Harvard is accused of violating anti-discrimination laws and failing to meet accreditation standards. (AFP pic) WASHINGTON : President Donald Trump's administration is intensifying its fight against Harvard University, warning that its accreditation may be in danger and formally moving to subpoena the school in a bid for information on foreign students. The department of education and the department of health and human services said today they had notified the New England commission of higher education that Harvard may be in violation of anti-discrimination laws and failing to meet the commission's accreditation standards, citing antisemitism on campus after the start of the Israel-Hamas war. The department of homeland security separately announced it was sending subpoenas because the school had 'repeatedly refused past non-coercive requests to hand over the required information for its student visitor and exchange programe certification'. The agency is seeking 'relevant records, communications, and other documents relevant to the enforcement of immigration laws since Jan 1, 2020'. The White House's latest moves cast doubt on the progress of negotiations between Harvard and federal officials to resolve a standoff which has seen the government freeze billions of dollars of research funding and the Cambridge, Massachusetts-based school sue the US. Trump expressed optimism about a near-term settlement last month. Those conversations stalled as of late June, according to a person familiar with the matter. Education secretary Linda McMahon said yesterday in a cabinet meeting that the administration was 'negotiating hard' with both Harvard and Columbia University. 'I think we're getting close to having that happen. It's not wrapped up as fast as I wanted to, but we're getting there,' she added. Harvard spokesman Jason Newton said in a statement that 'while the government's subpoenas are unwarranted, the University will continue to cooperate with lawful requests and obligations'. The administration's actions amount to 'harmful government overreach', he said. 'Harvard remains unwavering in its efforts to protect its community and its core principles against unfounded retribution by the federal government,' Newton said. 'Secret weapon' US President Donald Trump had expressed optimism about a near-term settlement with Harvard last month. (AP pic) Trump has called accreditation his 'secret weapon', and pledged on the campaign trail to overhaul the system. He said that he would allow for the creation of new accreditors that will impose 'real' standards on colleges, such as eliminating wasteful administrative roles and protecting free speech. McMahon said in statement today that the administration expects Harvard's accreditor 'to keep the department fully informed of its efforts to ensure that Harvard is in compliance with federal law and accreditor standards'. 'By allowing antisemitic harassment and discrimination to persist unchecked on its campus, Harvard University has failed in its obligation to students, educators, and American taxpayers,' McMahon said. NECHE, Harvard's accreditor, said on its website that it was aware the school had received a letter from the federal government outlining anti-discrimination violations. NECHE president Larry Schall pointed to the post in response to a request for comment. The commission 'takes its role seriously with regard to any investigations faced by its institutions to ensure appropriate monitoring and action in accordance with commission policy and procedures', the website read. Trump has also pressured Columbia's accreditation status. In early June, the education department said the school no longer meets standards for accreditation, pointing toward leadership's 'deliberate indifference' to the harassment of Jewish students. Columbia received a warning that its accreditation may be 'in jeopardy' from the Middle States commission on higher education, which cited 'insufficient evidence' that the school is in compliance with certain standards like fostering a respectful campus climate. Accreditation provides institutions access to federal student aid and a guarantee to students, faculty and employers that the school can impart a quality education. While accreditors are the only authorities who can revoke a school's crucial status, the commissions themselves can lose recognition from the education department. Colleges the accreditor oversees would then lose access to federal student aid unless they switch to a compliant agency or the original one regains approval. Foreign students As it pursues information about foreign students, the administration is alleging that Harvard has failed to implement discipline on campus and allowed a dramatic rise in crime. Trump has waged a campaign to overhaul the school's policies on matters including admissions and faculty hiring, citing the wave of antisemitic rhetoric and violence on campuses across the US. Homeland security secretary Kristi Noem has demanded Harvard hand over the information on foreign students, including disciplinary records, video footage of protest activity and records relating to illegal activity by students over the past five years. The administration blocked the school from enrolling international students, but Harvard won a preliminary injunction against that order. Harvard has been front and centre in the administration's clash with US colleges. As the oldest and richest US university, Harvard has borne the brunt of Trump's anger as it pushed back on administration demands. The administration has revoked more than US$2.4 billion in Harvard's research funding and also threatened the university's tax-exempt status. The school has also challenged the funding freeze in court. 'We tried to do things the easy way with Harvard. Now, through their refusal to cooperate, we have to do things the hard way,' DHS assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement.
Mail & Guardian
01-07-2025
- Sport
- Mail & Guardian
In a world of hate, leverage sports to combat it
Nelson Mandela and South Africa's 1995 rugby World Cup promoted unity in newly democratic South Africa. Amid world news about the Israel-Iran nuclear conflict and genocide in Gaza, the Fifa World Cup is taking place in the US. Part of this international tournament was a game on 22 June between Spanish football side Real Madrid and Mexican side Pachuca. During it, the world witnessed two incidents associated with hate speech. The highlights of the game were not limited to terrific goal scoring but also involved an official display of the global No To Racism campaign at the stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina — a critical communication in a world of hate. An anti-racism video was clearly against discrimination and hate in commemoration of The International day for Countering Hate Speech that happens every 18 June. In July 2021 the United Nations General assembly declared against hate speech after concerns were raised over the exponential spread and proliferation of hate speech. The UN defines hate speech as 'an offensive discourse targeting a group or an individual based on inherent characteristics such as race, religion or gender that psychologically affects one's social peace and dignity'. Hate speech is any kind of communication whether it be spoken, written and broadcast through mediums such as film, videos, social media that attacks or uses discriminatory language with reference to a person or group on the basis of race, ethnicity, nationality, descent and gender. Unfortunately, hate speech in the form of racism still persists in this age of globalisation, even in the Real Madrid and Pachuna game when Antonio Rudiger was targeted. Prejudice, misconceptions, indoctrination, ideological indifferences and intolerance are the sources of such racial hostility, violence and discrimination. Hate speech is also expressed through direct oral verbal attack, cartoons, memes, objects, gestures, images and symbols towards a targeted individual or group. For instance, in European leagues ripe bananas have been thrown at black soccer players like Samuel Eto, Vinicius Junior, Kolo Toure Neymar and Dani Alaves among others. Hate speech can spill into chronic hatred with devastating effects leading to civil unrest, refugees, insecurities and a genocide as it was in Rwanda. 'No one is born hating another person because of his skin, or his background or his religion. If people must learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite,' Nelson Mandela stated. We can leverage sports as a unifying factor to combat racism. If anyone has ever shown the world that sports can unite the world it was Mandela. In 1995, the Rugby World Cup united black and white people under the slogan 'One team, one country' in support of the Springboks who defeated New Zealand. Sports is critical in curbing racial hatred and hate speech through continuous global awareness campaigns in tournaments such as the Fifa World Cup and the Olympics. The 2022 Fifa World Cup in Qatar and the 2023 Fifa Women's World Cup in Australia strongly advocated for inclusion. Captains' armbands stated 'One love'. During this 2025 Fifa Club World Cup, there were non-discrimination signs and a N o to Racism video featuring sports superstars like Vinicius, Sergio Ramos, Edinson Cavani and Pep Guardiola. Sports teams can advance friendly charity games for inclusivity and diversity through showcasing different cultures, values, perspectives and backgrounds. Through sport, well-known athletes and coaches can advance respectful conduct and condemn hateful rhetoric. For example, Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso came firmly out to support Antonio Rudiger after his reaction towards a Pachuna player that allegedly subjected him to racial abuse. Standing up against hate speech can be risky but Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior has demonstrated that racism can be opposed even if you face a backlash. In this age of the internet, hate speech is spreading like wild fire through online platforms. Athletes and sports teams can use their social media handles to counter it with messages of unity, inclusivity and respect. The partnership between Fifa and the UN Refugee Agency should serve as an example of collaboration, which should take place at all levels from civil societies to governments in combating hate speech and promoting unity, cohesion and co-existence. Other efforts can include sensitising and equipping community leaders with sufficient knowledge and skills to identify and counteract hate speech. Promoting intercultural dialogues and interreligious forums are equally vital to countering bigotry. Sports can be a reliable cornerstone in combating hate speech in line with international human rights law and without infringing on rights and freedom of expression. In a world of hate, whether chess, basketball, cricket, hockey, tennis, rugby and football, sport has the power to counter xenophobia, racism and all forms of discrimination to secure and peaceful world for all. Robert Kigongo is a peace negotiator and a sustainable development analyst.
Telegraph
29-06-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
The Equality Act epitomises Westminster's mindless Utopianism
It is impossible to calculate the total financial cost of the Equality Act to the taxpayer. The 2010 legislation requires all public sector bodies — as well as any organisation in receipt of public funds or carrying out a public function — to integrate equality and anti-discrimination considerations into their operations. The costs are therefore diffused across budgets in the form, for example, of Diversity Equality and Inclusion (DEI) roles, equality impact assessments and legal costs. Reform UK has claimed that abolishing DEI schemes across Government would save an estimated £7 billion a year, which is about a billion pounds short of our annual budget for national roads. Research carried out by the TaxPayers' Alliance last year revealed spending on DEI roles in local authorities rose from just over £12m in 2020-21 to almost £23m in 2022-23. It was the Equality Act under which Birmingham City Council was taken to court by its employees claiming unequal pay. The £1.35 billion incurred by the Council as a result has contributed towards its bankruptcy. While previously the case might have been decided based on the courts' interpretation of 'equivalent work', the 2010 Act has introduced the additional consideration of work 'of equal value'. The financial costs are therefore clearly enormous. But to what end are taxpayers shouldering them? What impact has the legacy of Harriet Harman had on our workplace, and by extension, our society? The Equality Act Isn't Working is the title of a report launched this month by the campaign group Don't Divide Us. With the help of a dossier of audited records from over 5,000 Employment Tribunal cases, the report concludes that the Equality Act is, in fact, 'not fit for its stated purpose' and 'should be reviewed immediately and repealed eventually'. The Act, claim the authors of the report Dr Alka Sehgal Cuthbert and Dr Anna Loutfi, contains 'profound contradictions in respect of the protected characteristic of race that render its provisions largely unworkable in real life.' From authoritarian overreach, effectively awarding 'the state carte blanche to regulate all social relationships' in its legally ordained quest for advancing equality or eliminating discrimination to 'legitimising principles of racial thinking and segregation', the Act in practice contradicts principles of equality as commonly understood, that 'we stand as equal individuals subject to a universal law'. The report captures the muddled thinking behind the Act in one devastating sentence: 'While the Equality Act ostensibly proscribes discrimination on the basis of ethnic group identity, it tacitly prescribes that the law identify us all in terms of ethnic group identity.' This has introduced a specific brand of toxicity into our lives, by causing a 'breakdown of informal civility in the workplace' where 'discontent and complaints are being increasingly experienced, and presented, as problems of racism'. This is borne out by the findings of the report, which reveal that out of the 5,523 cases which have included race-based discrimination jurisdictions between 2017 and 2024, only 281 or 5 percent of race discrimination claims have been upheld in employment courts. Some of the unsuccessful claims, given the opportunity, may well have been resolved through traditional mediating channels between colleagues, with perhaps a greater chance of salvaging a workplace relationship following a dispute without the stress and the unpleasantness of being embroiled in a lengthy legal process. Published in the same month as the 25th anniversary of the Equality Act receiving Royal Assent, this report provides a long overdue audit of a piece of legislation which epitomises Westminster's mindless Utopianism.
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
US Justice Dept to probe hiring practices at University of California
By Andrew Goudsward WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Justice Department will investigate hiring practices at the University of California system to examine whether its efforts to boost faculty diversity run afoul of anti-discrimination laws, the department said in a statement on Thursday. The probe is the latest move against colleges and universities by President Donald Trump's administration, which has also launched investigations into campus antisemitism and has sought to freeze research funding. The Justice Department's Civil Rights Division alleged that the university system openly measures new hires by their race and sex. The probe will investigate whether its practices represent a pattern or practice of discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which bars employment discrimination. 'Institutional directives that use race- and sex-based hiring practices expose employers to legal risk under federal law," Harmeet Dhillion, the head of the Civil Rights Division, said in a statement. A spokesperson for the University of California system said it would work with the Justice Department "in good faith" during the investigation. "The University of California is committed to fair and lawful processes in all of our programs and activities, consistent with federal and state anti-discrimination laws," the spokesperson said in a statement. "The University also aims to foster a campus environment where everyone is welcomed and supported." The investigation focuses on the university's strategic plan, which identifies increasing underrepresented minority and female faculty as a university goal. The probe could begin another legal battle between the Trump administration and California, the largest U.S. state and a bastion of liberal politics. The state's Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, sued after Trump took control of California National Guard troops to quell anti-deportation protests in Los Angeles earlier this month. The Trump administration has said it is investigating the state over a law allowing transgender athletes to compete on girls' teams in state schools.
