Overview
- The U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services and Education determined Columbia University showed 'deliberate indifference' to student-on-student harassment targeting Jewish students since October 2023.
- The investigation found the university delayed implementing effective antisemitism reporting mechanisms until mid-2024 and failed to follow its own policies in addressing complaints.
- Columbia did not investigate or discipline incidents of vandalism, including swastikas on campus, or enforce neutral restrictions on protests.
- The university is negotiating with the Trump administration to restore $400 million in federal funding, which was frozen last semester, causing layoffs of at least 180 researchers.
- Pro-Palestinian groups claim criticism of Israel is being conflated with antisemitism, while Columbia stakeholders debate the balance between academic freedom and anti-discrimination compliance.