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Columbia University has agreed to pay $221 million and change campus policies as part of a settlement with the Trump administration following allegations of racially discriminatory practices and civil rights violations involving Jewish students.
The settlement was reached on Wednesday after four months of negotiations, which began when the administration withheld about $400 million in federal funding, according to the New York Post. Most of the withheld funds will now be reinstated under the terms of the agreement.
As part of the settlement, Columbia will pay $200 million to the federal government and an additional $21 million into a claims fund for Jewish faculty and staff who faced discrimination during on-campus demonstrations following the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led terrorist attack on Israel and the subsequent conflict in Gaza.
“This agreement marks an important step forward after a period of sustained federal scrutiny and institutional uncertainty,” said Columbia’s acting president, Claire Shipman, in a statement posted to the university’s website. “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.”
“Importantly, it safeguards our independence, a critical condition for academic excellence and scholarly exploration, work that is vital to the public interest,” Shipman added.
As part of the settlement, Columbia will eliminate programs that discriminate based on race, aligning with the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling that struck down race-based affirmative action in college admissions. The university also plans to introduce new faculty positions aimed at expanding intellectual diversity.
The agreement includes enhanced campus security measures, including maintaining a trained security presence to prevent demonstrations in academic spaces and collaborating with the New York Police Department to prevent a repeat of the spring 2024 occupation of Hamilton Hall by anti-Israel protesters. Protesters will also be prohibited from wearing masks during demonstrations.
Columbia’s admissions office will now implement more rigorous screening of international applicants, requiring students to explain their reasons for studying in the United States and share that information with federal agencies. The university will also report any disciplinary actions involving international students on visas, such as suspensions, expulsions, or arrests, in compliance with the Student and Exchange Visitor Program.
The university also agreed to subject several academic programs to a review led by a senior vice provost. These include the Center for Palestine Studies, the Institute for Israel and Jewish Studies, departments focused on the Middle East and Africa and Columbia’s satellite hubs in Tel Aviv and Amman.