Columbia University moves toward agreement with Trump Administration to restore federal funding

Columbia University is at a crossroads and reportedly on the verge of caving in to a series of demands imposed by President Donald Trump’s Administration in an effort to recover $400 million in federal funds that were canceled earlier this month that respond to allegations of antisemitism on the university campus.

As detailed by the Wall Street Journal, the university has until Thursday to agree to the nine key demands, which include banning the use of facemasks, granting more power to campus police and placing the Department of Middle Eastern, South Asian and African Studies under an "academic receivership" which would mean it would no longer be controlled by its own faculty.

Columbia's decision could mark a turning point in the growing tension between Trump and universities. During his presidential campaign, Trump promised to crack down on what he describes as leftist ideologues on campuses, and since taking office he has pushed for investigations into antisemitism at educational institutions.

However, some professors see these actions as an overreach by the federal government that threatens academic freedom.

Negotiations within the board of trustees at Columbia remain fluid. In that regard, a senior university official described talks with federal regulators as “continuing and productive” but also noted that they are not yet ready to make public statements, the Wall Street Journal noted.

The official emphasized that any decision will respect the institution's values and legal obligations.

For the Republican administration's part, this is just the beginning, as a letter from the Trump administration last week indicated that meeting the nine requests is only a "precondition for formal negotiations", and that "immediate and long-term structural reforms” are expected.

The board of trustees, meanwhile, has been meeting for days, with some members expressing concern about the risk of sacrificing Columbia's moral authority and academic independence in exchange for federal funds, while others argue that the university has few options because of its dependence on those resources.

In addition, leaders fear that caving in to Trump will project an image of subservience that could trigger student protests and negative faculty reactions when students return from spring break next week.

The Department of Middle Eastern, South Asian and African Studies: a key point

One of the biggest sticking points is the fate of the Department of Middle Eastern, South Asian and African Studies. The Republican administration argues that it should be placed under receivership for five years, with an outsider making decisions instead of the faculty.

Many faculty reject this federal intervention, and Columbia is negotiating to have the measure presented in a more favorable light, as a mutually beneficial solution.

Anti-Semitic protests at the university

Scrutiny over Columbia intensified in the wake of the anti-Semitic protests that rocked US campuses last year over the war in Gaza.

Columbia was an epicenter of these demonstrations. For its part, the Department of Justice created a task force to combat anti-Semitic harassment in schools and universities, while the Department of Education sent warning letters to 60 institutions under investigation for this reason.

Earlier this month, Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia student and leader of pro-Palestinian protests, was arrested by Homeland Security agents, becoming the first to face federal charges.

A Homeland Security spokeswoman claimed Khalil "led activities aligned to Hamas," a designated terrorist organization, while his lawyer denied any ties to the group.