Columbia University has ceded to the demands of President Donald Trump and his administration after it withheld $400 million in funding after the institution refused to effectively deal with gross antisemitism on campus.
The university has agreed to institute a mask ban and to allow campus police to make arrests at what have become increasingly combative anti-Israel protests, The New York Post reported.
The school is also bringing on new leadership to examine the curriculum in the Middle East, South Asian and African Studies department, and Center for Palestine Studies, the report said.
Katrina Armstrong, the interim president of the university, penned a memo to students and staff, saying that the changes were to make school safer for all students, though she did not specifically mention the Jewish students.
“This past year has been one of enormous progress, where our community of thoughtful faculty, students, and stakeholders has shaped a principled and methodical approach to meeting the moment’s challenges. Our response to the government agencies outlines the substantive work we’ve been doing over the last academic year to advance our mission, ensure uninterrupted academic activities, and make every student, faculty, and staff member safe and welcome on our campus,” she said in the memo posted to the school’s website.
“We have much to be proud of as a community, and it has been a privilege to share our progress and plans. In the spirit of great American universities, we expect Columbians to engage in robust debate and discussion about our way forward, and we welcome it as an opportunity to shape the future of Columbia,” the interim president added.
“The way Columbia and Columbians have been portrayed is hard to reckon with. We have challenges, yes, but they do not define us. We are a community of scholars who have deep respect for each other and our mission. We teach the brightest, most creative students in the world, and we care deeply for each and every one of them. I have every faith in our ability to overcome the greatest of challenges. We stand resilient and brilliant,” Armstrong said.
“At all times, we are guided by our values, putting academic freedom, free expression, open inquiry, and respect for all at the fore of every decision we make,” she said.
Earlier this month, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in a statement, “Anti-Semitism – like racism – is a spiritual and moral malady that sickens societies and kills people with lethalities comparable to history’s most deadly plagues. In recent years, the censorship and false narratives of woke cancel culture have transformed our great universities into greenhouses for this deadly and virulent pestilence. Making America healthy means building communities of trust and mutual respect, based on speech freedom and open debate.”
Secretary of Education Linda McMahon also addressed the issue, stating, “Americans have watched in horror for more than a year now, as Jewish students have been assaulted and harassed on elite university campuses. Unlawful encampments and demonstrations have completely paralyzed day-to-day campus operations, depriving Jewish students of learning opportunities to which they are entitled. Institutions that receive federal funds have a responsibility to protect all students from discrimination. Columbia’s apparent failure to uphold their end of this basic agreement raises very serious questions about the institution’s fitness to continue doing business with the United States government.”
Columbia University responded in a statement, saying, “We are reviewing tonight’s communication from the Department of Education, Department of Health and Human Services, and General Services Administration. Columbia is fully committed to combating anti-Semitism and all forms of discrimination, and we are resolute that calling for, promoting, or glorifying violence or terror has no place at our University.
“We look forward to ongoing work with the new federal administration to fight anti-Semitism, and we will continue to make all efforts to ensure the safety and well-being of our students, faculty, and staff,” the university’s response added.
