The federal anti-Semitism task force leader publicly stated the day before that the Ivy League school did not address conditions for federal funds.
Columbia University Interim President Katrina Armstrong announced on March 21 that she has implemented the Department of Education’s requirements for combatting campus anti-Semitism in order to receive federal funding.
All nine conditions required by President Donald Trump, the Department of Education, and the Department of Justice have been addressed, Armstrong stated, including a student mask ban—unless for health or religious reasons—a revised admissions and recruitment process to weed out applicants who could potentially harass Jewish students, 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.
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 the “intellectual diversity” in 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,” her statement said.
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.
This is a developing story and will be updated.