NEW YORK (AP) — Columbia University has agreed to make significant policy changes under pressure from the Trump administration. This comes as the administration warned that failing to reform could result in losing all federal funding.
In a letter from interim president Katrina Armstrong, the university outlined its plans. These changes include a review of its Middle Eastern studies department and updates to protest policies.
The university will appoint a senior vice provost to start the review immediately. Additionally, it will change how it manages student conduct, including banning protests in academic buildings and prohibiting masks that conceal identities, except for health-related reasons.
To promote “intellectual diversity,” Columbia will bring in new faculty for its Institute for Israel and Jewish Studies and adopt a new definition of antisemitism. The university also plans to enhance programming at its Tel Aviv Center in Israel.
These adjustments align closely with demands from the Trump administration, which had previously withdrew $400 million in federal research grants due to what it deemed insufficient handling of protests against Israel’s military actions in Gaza. The administration labeled such protests as antisemitic, a claim that student activists have contested.
Federal officials have said that for Columbia to regain funding, it would need to put its Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies Department under strict oversight for at least five years. They also requested a reform plan covering admissions processes and other academic practices.
Historians and free speech advocates have voiced concerns about this being an unprecedented attack on academic freedom. Jameel Jaffer, director of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia, expressed disappointment, calling it a troubling day for both the university and democracy.
Recent surveys show that many students are worried about how these changes may impact their freedom of expression. A study by the American Association of University Professors found that nearly 60% of faculty agreed that outside pressure threatens academic independence.
These developments call into question the balance between government influence and university autonomy, raising both legal and ethical debates within academia. For further insights into ongoing discussions about academic freedom, you can read more at The Chronicle of Higher Education.
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