Columbia University Concedes to Federal Demands Amid Funding Controversy

Columbia University has agreed to changes required by the Trump administration to regain $400 million in federal funding, following allegations of antisemitism. The school will implement measures such as banning face masks and revising its Middle Eastern Studies department structure. The decision stirred wider academic and legal debates.

Columbia University, facing the loss of $400 million in federal funding over antisemitism allegations, has acceded to a series of demands from the Trump administration. In a memo released Friday, the university outlined measures including a ban on face masks and potential arrests, along with the appointment of a new senior official for the Middle Eastern Studies department.

The administration's actions, unprecedented in demanding academic receivership, have drawn criticism from educators, with University of Pennsylvania's Professor Jonathan Zimmerman lamenting the interference as a sad day for academic independence. Meanwhile, the university's response, pending a White House reply, is monitored by other institutions navigating similar federal pressures.

The funding freeze has already impacted significant research at Columbia, including AI-based healthcare projects. The broader implication of these administrative decisions marks a new chapter in the relationship between educational institutions and government funding criteria, highlighting contentious dynamics over political influence in academic environments.

(With inputs from agencies.)