Columbia University will do more to push back against radical anti-Israel demonstrations and radicalization on campus after the Trump administration revoked $400 million in federal funding for the Ivy League school.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that Columbia’s administration agreed to President Donald Trump’s list of demands, including banning masks from being worn on campus for anything other than health or religious reasons and empowering 36 campus police officers to arrest student agitators. The university will also appoint a senior vice provost to oversee Columbia’s Middle East Department and Center for Palestine Studies, along with South Asian and African Studies.
According to the WSJ, a senior administrator at Columbia said the school considered fighting back against Trump’s demands, but concluded that going up against the federal government on this issue would be too difficult. Columbia also reportedly believed it was time to make changes similar to what Trump wanted and had started considering the changes in the summer of 2024.
“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 memo from the university stated.
Columbia was rocked by anti-Israel protests and riots during the spring of 2024 as Israel responded to Hamas’ October 7 attack when Islamic terrorists killed over 1,200 people. Student protesters and agitators set up an encampment on Columbia’s campus last April. The demonstration then turned into a riot when students illegally entered Hamilton Hall and occupied the building until Columbia called on the NYPD to come in and arrest the protesters. Some of the students who participated in the Hamilton Hall takeover last spring were suspended, expelled, and had their degrees temporarily revoked.
After Trump was sworn into office in January, his administration called on Columbia to do more to fight anti-Semitism on campus.
“Universities must comply with all federal antidiscrimination laws if they are going to receive federal funding. For too long, Columbia has abandoned that obligation to Jewish students studying on its campus,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon said when the Trump administration announced it was revoking federal funding from Columbia. “Today, we demonstrate to Columbia and other universities that we will not tolerate their appalling inaction any longer.”
Jewish students at Columbia have said that they have been excluded from student groups over their belief that Israel has the right to exist, according to the WSJ.
“Since October 7, Jewish students have faced relentless violence, intimidation, and anti-Semitic harassment on their campuses — only to be ignored by those who are supposed to protect them,” McMahon added.
