Columbia University Implements Stringent New Policies Amid $400 Million Funding Controversy
Columbia University has enacted new measures to address antisemitism and in response to federal funding cuts, amid ongoing tensions regarding academic freedom.
Columbia's capitulation endangers academic freedom and campus expression nationwide.
Columbia, at risk of losing federal funding, yields to Trump on policy changes
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Columbia’s sweeping concessions to the administration represent a remarkable moment in academia — and in the university’s history.
Columbia University caves to Trump’s list of demands
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The attack on universities is part of an ideological battle to shut down any dissent against Donald Trump’s agenda.
K-12 Leaders Rejected Weaponization of Antisemitism Claims. Why Won’t Higher Ed?
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Columbia has agreed to much of the demands, but the Trump administration is yet to respond and it is unclear if the funding will be restored.
Columbia University agrees to several Trump demands
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Columbia’s capitulation endangers academic freedom and campus expression nationwide.
Under threat from Trump, Columbia University agrees to policy changes
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Columbia University revealed they were making several policy changes such as allowing campus police officers to make arrests, rules regarding protesting, and discipline, among others.
Columbia Makes Policy Changes After Trump Admin Pulls Funding
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Columbia University appears to have ceded to the Trump administration's demands after a threat to withhold $400 million in federal funds.
Columbia University cedes to Trump administration demands after threat to withhold funds
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The policy changes were largely in line with demands made on the university by the Trump administration, which pulled $400 million in research grants and other federal funding, and had threatened to cut more, over the university’s handling of protests against Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
Under threat from Trump, Columbia University agrees to policy changes
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The agreement comes as the Trump administration's attack on higher education has led to lost jobs and grants and instilled much anxiety.
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The Trump administration recently canceled $400 million in grants to Columbia, which was on track to get $5 billion in federal aid for the 2024-2025 academic year, following an investigation into alleged anti-Semitic disruptions and campus vandalism amid pro-Palestinian protests leading up to the resignation of former university President Nemat “Minouche” Shafik.
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Although Columbia stands among the country’s wealthiest universities, with an endowment of about $15 billion, it wouldn’t take long for it to cease to operate in any recognizable form without government money.
Columbia University Caves to Trump’s Demands
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The demand had raised alarm among professors at Columbia and elsewhere, who worried that permitting the federal government to dictate how a department is run would set a dangerous precedent.
Columbia University caves to demands to restore $400m from Trump administration
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The concessions by one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious universities represent an unprecedented shift in how the federal government exerts leverage in the affairs of higher education institutions in the U.S.
Columbia University agrees to Trump demands in effort to restore federal funding
NBC News·1M·ReliableThis source consistently reports facts with minimal bias, demonstrating high-quality journalism and accuracy.CenterThis outlet is balanced or reflects centrist views.The changes, detailed in a letter sent by the university’s interim president, Katrina Armstrong, came one week after the Trump administration ordered the Ivy League school to enact those and other reforms or lose all federal funding, an ultimatum widely criticized in academia as an attack on academic freedom.
Under threat from Trump, Columbia University agrees to policy changes
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Columbia is also going to review its admission procedures and make recommendations on how to ensure unbiased admission processes.
Columbia University to comply with Trump administration demands for mask ban, special officers, more
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The concession marks a big win for the Trump administration in its war with elite universities and shows the federal government’s strategy of taking away funds could be effective in securing changes.
Columbia agrees to Trump administration’s demands after funding cut
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The administration’s anti-mask demand seems to be in response to students at Columbia’s encampment wearing medical and other masks, which are really not that effective in concealing one’s identity.
Caving to Trump’s Demands, Columbia University Says It Will Ban Mask-Wearing
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Columbia’s Middle Eastern Studies department has long fielded accusations of antisemitism and anti-Israel bias.
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Columbia became the epicenter of anti-Israel protests following Hamas' attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
Columbia University yields to Trump admin demands over revoked $400M in federal funding
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The university’s plans appear intended to address the complaints.
Columbia University makes policy changes in dispute over federal funding
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Summary
Columbia University has introduced stringent policies, including a ban on face masks and increased oversight of its Middle Eastern studies department, in response to the Trump administration’s withdrawal of $400 million in funding due to alleged inaction on antisemitism. Interim President Katrina Armstrong announced a review of admissions and greater policing of campus protests. This comes amid the high-profile arrest of activist Mahmoud Khalil, raising concerns about the criminalization of political protest. Activists warn of dangerous precedents for academic freedom as the Trump administration pressures universities to comply with new mandates.
Perspectives
Columbia University has agreed to implement a series of reforms, including appointing a new senior vice provost to oversee the Middle Eastern studies department, following demands from the Trump administration that aimed to address accusations of antisemitism and harassment on campus.
The university's memo highlights the establishment of a Provostial Advisory Committee to protect academic freedom and ensure that decisions reflect the values of the institution amidst the pressures of external influence.
Columbia's response to federal demands, including the ban on masks at protests and a review of regional studies programs, underscores a significant tension between government oversight and academic independence.
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