USA
Columbia University agrees to $221m settlement in federal antisemitism probe
Education Secretary Linda McMahon said the US is undergoing a ‘seismic shift’ in its response to antisemitism at taxpayer-funded institutions
July 24, 2025 09:51
Education Secretary Linda McMahon said the US is undergoing a ‘seismic shift’ in its response to antisemitism at taxpayer-funded institutions
July 24, 2025 09:51Columbia University has agreed to pay $221 million (£163 million) to the US government to settle federal investigations of its response to allegations of antisemitism on campus, largely related to disruptive pro-Palestine protests that swept the sector last year.
The university stated that it would pay $200 million (£148 million) over three years to the federal government, and the remainder to settle its case with the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
“Importantly, the agreement preserves Columbia’s autonomy and authority over faculty hiring, admissions and academic decision-making,” it said, referencing previous reports that the Trump administration had pressed for the inclusion of a government representative on the college’s academic board to provide greater oversight of learning material.
“Under today’s agreement, a vast majority of the federal grants which were terminated or paused in March 2025 will be reinstated, and Columbia’s access to billions of dollars in current and future grants will be restored,” a university spokesperson confirmed.
The funds that were not restored are part of “broader reductions by the government in certain research areas” that are unrelated to the “conduct addressed in this agreement,” they added.
Under the agreement, Columbia said that it admitted no wrongdoing, but that “the institution’s leaders have recognised, repeatedly, that Jewish students and faculty have experienced painful, unacceptable incidents, and that reform was and is needed”.
Linda McMahon, the US education secretary, stated that the agreement represents a “seismic shift in our nation’s fight to hold institutions that accept American taxpayer dollars accountable for antisemitic discrimination and harassment”.
“Thanks to President Trump’s firm leadership, Columbia University has agreed to pay $200 million, discipline student offenders for severe disruptions of campus operations, make structural changes to their faculty senate, bring viewpoint diversity to their Middle Eastern studies programs, eliminate race preferences from their hiring and admissions practices and end diversity, equity and inclusion programs that distribute benefits and advantages based on race,” she said.
“Columbia’s reforms are a roadmap for elite universities that wish to regain the confidence of the American public by renewing their commitment to truth-seeking, merit and civil debate,” she went on. “I believe they will ripple across the higher education sector and change the course of campus culture for years to come.”
And Tim Walberg, chair of the House Education and Workforce Committee, stated that “the need for a federal settlement underscores Columbia’s lack of institutional willingness to effectively respond to antisemitism.”
“This school and its so-called leaders have failed time and time again to keep Jewish students, faculty and staff safe. True progress requires universities to confront antisemitism proactively, in partnership with affected communities,” Walberg stated.
“We will closely monitor Columbia’s purported commitment to this agreement and continue to develop legislative solutions to address antisemitism,” he said. “All colleges and universities must fulfill their legal obligations under federal anti-discrimination law.”
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