In the midst of a growing feud with top-tier academic institutions, the Donald Trump administration on Thursday charged Columbia University with not doing enough to defend Jewish students from campus harassment and thus infringing on their civil rights.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights determined that Columbia had acted “with deliberate indifference” to allegations of mistreatment of Jewish students, CNN reported. The department ruled that the university had violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin in federally assisted programs.
While the Trump administration has already blamed Columbia for accommodating antisemitic policies in the past, it did not declare any fresh punitive measures after Thursday’s report.
Responding to the accusations, a Columbia University representative said to The New York Times, “We recognize this finding is part of our continuing conversations with the government. Columbia is strongly dedicated to fighting antisemitism and all types of harassment and discrimination on our campus.” The university reiterated that it had a determination to keep cooperating with federal officials to resolve the situation.
The move follows similar actions by President Trump months ago that cut funding worth about $400 million in federal grants and aid to Columbia because of the school’s supposed inability to safeguard Jewish students during protests on campus that criticized Israel’s military response in Gaza. The administration threatened to follow through with the cuts with additional reductions of $5 billion in future federal obligations.
Under increasing pressure, Columbia subsequently acquiesced to a number of the administration’s demands, including the implementation of a prohibition on the use of masks in protest and enhanced powers for campus police. In explanation, the university justified its actions, stating, “Freedom of expression is what enables the rigorous debate and free inquiry on which our academic mission depends.”. But protests and other forms of protest that happen within the boundaries of academic buildings and areas where academics do their work pose a direct obstacle to upholding our central academic purpose.
Columbia is not alone in facing federal scrutiny. Various elite universities have been in the crosshairs of the Trump administration since he was sworn in last January.
In a related but distinct move, President Trump on Thursday barred Harvard University from admitting international students, stripping it of its certification under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program. The action directly affects a major source of revenue for many U.S. institutions, particularly Ivy League universities.
Trump’s Homeland Security Adviser, Kristi Noem, supported the administration’s hard line during an appearance on Fox News. Asked if this kind of policy was being considered for other universities, including Columbia, she replied, “Absolutely, we are. This should be a warning to every other university to get your act together.”
Figures from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) indicate that foreign students made up 39% of Columbia University’s overall enrollment in 2023, highlighting the likely financial costs of such federal action.
