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The Trump administration pulled the funding earlier this year, accusing Columbia of failing to crack down on what they described as antisemitic conduct on campus during the heated fallout from the Israel-Hamas conflict, which began in October 2023.
Columbia agreed to a series of demands laid out by the Republican administration.(Photo: Reuters)
New Delhi,UPDATED: Jul 24, 2025 06:28 IST
Columbia University will pay more than $220 million to the federal government under a deal with the Trump administration to restore research funding that had been cancelled amid accusations the university failed to rein in antisemitism on campus.
The Ivy League university announced on Wednesday that it will pay $200 million over three years to the federal government and an additional $21 million to settle related investigations by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
"This agreement marks an important step forward after a period of sustained federal scrutiny and institutional uncertainty," said acting University President Claire Shipman.
The Trump administration pulled the funding earlier this year, accusing Columbia of failing to crack down on what they described as antisemitic conduct on campus during the heated fallout from the Israel-Hamas conflict, which began in October 2023.
COLUMBIA AGREES TO MAJOR REFORMS
Columbia agreed to a series of demands laid out by the Republican administration, including overhauling the university’s student disciplinary process and adopting a new definition of antisemitism. Wednesday’s agreement codifies those reforms, Shipman said.
According to Shipman, the agreement excludes an admission of misconduct, and codifies those reforms while maintaining the university's independence.
"The settlement was carefully crafted to protect the values that define us and allow our essential research partnership with the federal government to get back on track," Shipman said. "Importantly, it safeguards our independence, a critical condition for academic excellence and scholarly exploration, work that is vital to the public interest."
Under the agreement, Columbia committed to implementing several changes that were first revealed in March. These include conducting a thorough review of its Middle East studies curriculum to ensure it is fair and well-rounded, as well as hiring new faculty members for its Institute for Israel and Jewish Studies. It also agreed to discontinue programs that encourage unlawful attempts to reach race-based results, set diversity quotas, or similar initiatives.
Columbia was the first target of President Donald Trump's push to cut federal funding to universities accused of tolerating antisemitism after the Israel-Hamas war began in October 2023. The university was at the forefront of US campus protests over the war last spring. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators established an encampment in April, inspiring a wave of similar protests. Protesters at Columbia went on to seize a campus building, resulting in dozens of arrests when police cleared the building.
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Published By:
Satyam Singh
Published On:
Jul 24, 2025
