Trump Administration Wins $400 Million from Columbia as University Complies with Demands
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The Lowdown
Columbia University has embraced the terms set by the Trump administration last Friday, accepting conditions that encompass restrictions on masks, addition of campus police officers, and more scrutiny for specific departments, following the loss of $400 million in government funding due to accusations of antisemitism on campus. This ongoing dialogue between President Trump and U.S. universities marked a contentious phase.
Crucial Points
Katrina Armstrong, the interim president of Columbia, announced yesterday that the university had informed the federal government about changes in their protest and security policies, which align with the demands made by multiple government agencies. Cancelling $400 million worth of contracts and grants to Columbia occurred earlier this month.
In an official document, the university revealed that everybody partaking in protests on campus, including those with masks, will now be required to display their university ID to school authorities when asked, as a response to the administration's pressure to ban masks. Despite this, masks will continue to be permitted for religious or medical reasons as long as they do not provide concealment.
Columbia has also recruited 36 new "specialized officers" responsible for removing individuals from the campus and making arrests. Trained almost to completion, these officers are nearly legal under New York law.
A new senior provost will be appointed soon to oversee reviews of programs focusing on the Middle East, including the Center for Palestine Studies, the Institute for Israel and Jewish Studies, the School of International and Public Affairs' Middle East Policy major, and more. The administration demanded "receivership" for certain departments, though the provost's role resembles that similar seeking.
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What Demands Did The Trump Administration Impose on Columbia?
Conforming to the Trump administration's demands, Columbia largely cooperated. In a letter sent to the university, the administration asked Columbia to wrap up disciplinary proceedings for students who occupied a building during last year's protest. Simultaneously, the university disclosed suspensions, expulsions, and temporary degree retractions for some of the students involved in the occupation that day. In addition, the administration asked for the abolishment of the university's judicial board in charge of administering disciplinary measures and transferring all disciplinary processes to the office of the president. Columbia refused to eliminate the judicial board, instead opting to position it under the authority of the provost, reporting directly to the university's president. The university also accepted demands that specifically target mask use for identity concealment, as well as those focusing on empowering campus law enforcement with the ability to arrest and remove individuals violating university rules. The university did not directly place its Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies Department under "academic receivership," as the government requested, but the appointment of a provost for departmental reviews is reminiscent of such a decision[6].
Main Critic
"The actions of Columbia's board of trustees are nothing short of shocking and deeply disheartening to the faculty," said Sheldon Pollock, a retired former chair of Columbia's Middle Eastern studies department, speaking to The New York Times. Pollock argued that these changes could hamper academic freedom, governance by the faculty, and the quality of America's university system.
What's Next
Should other universities confront similar situations due to the Trump administration's investigation of 60 colleges and universities where pro-Palestinian protests were held last year, potential repercussions may affect their federal funding[6].
Key Background
Columbia has become the epicenter of the Trump administration's condemnation of pro-Palestinian demonstrations across various universities last year. Some politicians, alumni, and critics have criticized the way institutions like Columbia have managed these protests, including their response to accusations of antisemitic rhetoric. Alongside freezing $400 million in funding for the university, the administration has also arrested two Columbia students on allegations of supporting Hamas, a militant group involved in Israel's violent conflict since 2023[7]. One of these students, Mahmoud Khalil, a permanent U.S. resident from Syria, was detained this month after being informed that his student visa had been revoked. Khalil remains detained as of Friday, with his lawyers continuing their attempts to secure his release, stating agents who arrested Khalil failed to provide reasons for visa revocation[7].
Additional Reading
- Second Palestinian Columbia Student Arrested: DHS Says Protester Overstayed Her Visa (Forbes)
- Columbia Expels And Pulls Degrees For Some Students Who Occupied Building During Pro-Palestinian Protests (Forbes)
- Mahmoud Khalil Still Detained In Louisiana-At Least For Now-Following Court Hearing: What We Know (Forbes)
- Khalil, the Columbia student from Syria who was detained due to alleged support for Hamas, is still in detention as of Friday, with his lawyers trying to secure his release, citing no reasons provided for visa revocation.
- The university recruited 36 new specialized officers, nearly legal under New York law, to remove individuals from campus and make arrests.
- The Trump administration demanded a new senior provost to oversee reviews of programs focusing on the Middle East, including the Center for Palestine Studies, as part of their pressure on Columbia due to accusations of antisemitism.
