Ivy League institution, Columbia University, agrees to a $200 million settlement with the Trump administration.

Ivy League institution, Columbia University, agrees to a $200 million settlement with the Trump administration.

Columbia University Agrees to Settle Discrimination Claims and Restore Federal Funding

Columbia University has agreed to significant reforms to address claims of discrimination against Jewish students, following federal investigations and allegations of antisemitism on campus. The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights launched investigations finding Columbia acted with deliberate indifference toward harassment of Jewish students, violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act[1][3].

Facing the suspension of billions in federal funding by the Trump administration over its handling of antisemitism during Israel-Hamas war protests, Columbia negotiated a settlement to restore funding. The university agreed to pay more than $220 million, including $200 million over three years to restore federal research grants and $21 million addressing civil rights claims involving Jewish employees[2].

As part of the settlement, Columbia adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism into its policies, imposed new restrictions on demonstrations, enhanced disciplinary procedures, increased campus safety oversight, and accepted unprecedented external oversight over its Middle Eastern Studies Department, including curricular reviews[3][4].

The reinstated grants include those terminated by the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Health and Human Services. A vast majority of the federal grants which were terminated or paused in March will be reinstated as a result of the agreement[4].

Columbia University has also agreed to submit to a federal monitor that will assure compliance with admissions and hiring practices. The university will provide certain information about foreign students to immigration authorities[2].

This settlement ended months of uncertain funding and intense scrutiny, but also generated controversy, as Columbia disciplined many students involved in pro-Palestinian protests, raising debates over academic freedom and definitions of antisemitism[4]. The university did not admit wrongdoing but agreed to wide-ranging reforms to comply with federal civil rights requirements and restore its funding[2][4].

The agreement puts an end to a months-long dispute between Columbia and the Trump administration over federal funding. President Donald Trump celebrated the agreement in a social media post on Wednesday evening[5]. The university said the agreement announced Wednesday builds on steps it previously took as part of negotiations with the administration[6].

References: [1] https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/15/us/columbia-university-anti-semitism-investigation.html [2] https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2024/05/28/columbia-university-agrees-settle-discrimination-claims-and-restore-federal [3] https://www.jewishinsider.com/76900/columbia-university-agrees-to-pay-200-million-to-resolve-claims-of-discrimination-against-jewish-students/ [4] https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/02/us/columbia-university-anti-semitism-settlement.html [5] https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1662819830240109571 [6] https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/03/us/columbia-university-trump-administration-settlement.html

1. The settlement with Columbia University includes a provision for the university to provide certain information about foreign students to immigration authorities.
2. The settlement, which ended a dispute over federal funding, implements wide-ranging reforms regarding the university's handling of discrimination, particularly in the case of Jewish students.
3. In addition to resolving claims of discrimination, the agreement restores billions in federal research grants for Columbia University, which were previously terminated.
4. The university's agreement to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism and the incoming federal monitor to assure compliance with admissions and hiring practices are part of the settlement's reforms.

Read also: