Colombia in one step too much: Trump negates a huge budget from the university

On Friday, the Trump administration announced a dramatic step in the fight against anti-Semitism at the American Academy: attracting grants and contracts of about $ 400 million from the University of Luxury Columbia, claiming that the institution violated federal laws against discrimination. This is an unprecedented step against a leading academic institution in the US.

The federal mission for the fight against anti-Semitism, established by President Trump and includes representatives from the Ministries of Justice, Health and Education, stated that the university failed to protect Jewish students from “violence, intimidation and anti-Semitic harassment” since Hamas attack on October 7, 2023.

“The era in which the federal administration allows Jews to end,” the Stopantisemiotism group said in a message. “We welcome the Trump administration for listening to our calls and calling for it to be just the first of many.”

The step, which is a warning signal to all American universities, includes an immediate termination of work to grants of hundreds of thousands of dollars awarded to Colombia by health and education ministries. Federal officials have signaled earlier this week that additional $ 51.4 million contracts are also in danger.

The Secretary of Education Linda McMaman made it clear: “Universities must obey all federal laws against discrimination if they are about to receive federal funding. For too long, Colombia has abandoned this duty to Jewish students studying on its campus. Today we prove to Colombia and other universities.

Overall, the federal administration is currently examining liabilities for more than $ 5 billion to the University of the Ivy League, with experts estimating that similar steps are expected against other institutions.

A year of protests, takeover and support for terror

The dramatic decision comes after a turbulent year on Columbia’s Morningside Hights campus, which became the symbol of the pro-Palestinian struggle at the American Academy. In the spring of 2024, protesters set up a “tent city” in the university area and later even took over the historic Hall Hall Building, before being evacuated by the New York Police.

Hamas even publicly supported student protests. “We at Hamas movement believe that every popular movement that requires to stop aggression and the murder of the people against us are a useful and supportive activity for our purpose,” said the Terrorist Spokesman in Naim Naim to Newsweek last April.

According to a report by the House of Representatives published in December, despite the university promises to take disciplinary steps, even a student of the protests did not be expelled, and only four were suspended. Of the 22 students arrested for taking over Hamilton Hall, 7 were allowed to end their studies, the 11 was returned to a proper status,

“The raging anti -Semitism”

During the last school year, Jewish students filed a number of claims against the university for what they call “rampant anti -Semitism” on campus. In one case, a bachelor’s degree student won $ 395,000 after disciplinary trial for publishing jokes about “innovative explosives” against anti-Israeli protesters.

The university’s president, Minus Shafik, resigned from her role in August after a controversial testimony in Congress, claiming that the pro-Jihdi slogans heard on campus were “offensive” but did not rise to the level of anti-Semitism.

Only last month, two students from Bernard College (filtered for Colombia) were deported after participating in a protest that invaded an Israeli history class. Protesters divided leaflets from terrorists who, according to the university, were copies of “official Hamas Communications Office.”

University response: “We will work to return the funding”

In response to the decision, the University of Columbia said the institution “examines the message from the federal agencies and undertakes to work with the federal government to restore Columbia’s federal funding.”

“We seriously refer to Colombia’s legal obligations and understand how serious this message is,” the speaker added. “We are committed to fighting anti -Semitism and ensuring the safety and welfare of our students, faculty and staff.”

However, the task force for fighting anti -Semitism claimed that the university “did not respond” to their previous requests. “Anti -Semitism is inconsistent with the basic values ​​that need to be answered to liberal education,” said Sean Quinni, the place of the Ministry of Health’s attorney general and a member of the mission. “The University of Columbia’s complacency is unacceptable.”

Experts for education policy estimate that this step may lead to extended legal struggles, but also to rapid reforms in university policy in relation to the treatment of anti -Semitic phenomena on campus throughout the United States.