A recent settlement between Columbia University and the Trump administration marks a significant victory for the US President in his efforts to exert greater control over third-level education, specifically in addressing campus activism. Columbia, a top educational institution in the United States, has agreed to pay $221 million to settle claims by the Trump administration that it failed to adequately address anti-Semitism on campus.
Under the agreement announced on Wednesday, Columbia will see the majority of the $400 million in federal grants that were frozen by the Trump administration reinstated. The university will also regain access to billions of dollars in current and future grants. The settlement formalizes reforms announced in March aimed at addressing harassment against Jews, which include hiring more public safety personnel, changing disciplinary processes, and fostering an inclusive and respectful learning environment. Additionally, the agreement commits Columbia to maintaining merit-based admissions and ending programs that promote race-based outcomes.
Claire Shipman, Columbia’s acting president, stated that while the settlement was substantial, the university could not continue in a situation that would jeopardize its status as a world-leading research institution. Shipman also acknowledged the serious challenges faced by the institution in terms of anti-Semitism, although the university did not accept the Trump administration’s findings of civil rights violations.
The settlement includes a payment of $200 million to the federal government over three years, as well as a $21 million payment to settle claims by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Trump hailed the settlement as “historic” in a post on his Truth Social platform and mentioned that other higher education institutions facing similar challenges are expected to follow.
However, student activist groups like Columbia University Apartheid Divest have criticized the settlement, calling it an effective bribe. They argue that the university compromised its values by paying such a large sum to Trump while also funding genocide. The settlement comes amidst ongoing protests against Israel’s war in Gaza and accusations of anti-Semitism during the demonstrations. The university’s Judicial Board recently announced disciplinary actions against students who participated in protests.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/7/24/columbia-university-to-pay-200m-to-settle-anti-semitism-claims?traffic_source=rss
