Overview

• The Trump administration revoked $400 million in federal funding from Columbia University due to its alleged failure to address antisemitism and harassment of Jewish students.
• Columbia agreed to implement policy changes, including a ban on masks during protests and increased oversight of its Middle East Studies department, to meet federal requirements.
• Interim President Katrina Armstrong publicly committed to enforcing these changes but privately downplayed their significance to faculty, leading to internal criticism and skepticism.
• The Trump administration is monitoring Columbia’s compliance with no set timeline for restoring the frozen funding, citing the need for substantive action.
• Columbia has hired a public relations firm to manage its reputation as it faces heightened public scrutiny and internal faculty resistance over its handling of the situation.