The Trump administration had pulled $400 million in federal grants to the university over its alleged failure to address anti-Semitism.
Columbia University Interim President Katrina Armstrong announced on March 21 that the university has agreed to implement a raft of policy changes in response to the Department of Education’s requirements for combatting campus anti-Semitism in order to receive federal funding.
The changes include a student mask ban—unless for health or religious reasons, a revised admissions and recruitment process, and strict administrative oversight from a new senior vice provost who will monitor certain academic majors that, in the past, had provided anti-Semitic instruction.
The university will also conduct an immediate review of its Middle Eastern studies department.
Additionally, Armstrong announced that the campus judicial board for disciplining students will be made up of administrators and faculty members from now on. Also, the campus public safety staff is being increased to better handle disruptive situations, and “intellectual diversity” among the faculty will be expanded, according to Armstrong.
“We have worked hard to address the legitimate concerns raised both from within and without our Columbia community, including by our regulators, with respect to the discrimination, harassment and antisemitic acts our Jewish community has faced in the wake of October 7, 2023,” a policy memo reads.
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.
The Epoch Times has reached out to the White House and Department of Education for further comment.
In a March 19 statement, Armstrong acknowledged the nine conditions and wrote that the school had taken corrective steps, although the letter did not note actions that specifically correspond to each of the conditions sent to her on March 13.
Meanwhile, a federal court on March 20 issued a temporary order blocking Columbia from releasing a student’s disciplinary records to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, which is looking into allegations related to anti-Semitism at the school.
