Columbia University has taken steps to comply with demands from the Trump administration after the federal government threatened to withhold $400 million in funding.
The university released a four-page memo titled Advancing Our Work to Combat Discrimination, Harassment, and Antisemitism at Columbia. This response is being closely watched by other institutions that were also focal points of pro-Palestinian demonstrations last year.
The Trump administration had previously canceled $400 million in grants and contracts to Columbia, citing the university’s “continued inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students.” In a letter last week, the administration outlined nine demands that Columbia had to meet by Thursday as “a precondition for formal negotiations” regarding federal funding.
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Among the measures taken, Columbia has agreed to ban masks, addressing one of the administration’s key requirements. The university stated in the memo, “Public safety has determined that face masks or face coverings are not allowed for the purpose of concealing one’s identity in the commission of violations of University policies or state, municipal, or federal laws.”
Columbia has also agreed to implement stricter oversight of its Middle East Studies department. A new senior vice provost will now oversee the department and “will conduct a thorough review of the portfolio of programs in regional areas across the University, starting immediately with the Middle East.” According to the memo, this review is intended to ensure that the curriculum is “comprehensive and balanced” and that faculty represent an “intellectually diverse academic environment” as the administration pushes to limit left-wing ideology on campus.
To further address academic concerns, the university will establish a Provostial Advisory Committee on Academic Freedom and Freedom of Expression. This committee will advise university leadership on maintaining academic freedom at Columbia. “The committee members will serve as trusted advisors, both to consult on university policies and procedures and to ensure that our decisions are consistent with our values,” the university stated.
Additionally, Columbia will form a commission to examine campus events since Oct. 7, 2024—the anniversary of the Israel-Hamas war—and “present an analysis with the underlying causes.” The commission will create a report with recommendations to ensure that members of the Columbia community “are held accountable for actions that hinder the academic pursuit of any individual within the community.” It will also propose recommendations for a new disciplinary process.
(ABC News)
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