Columbia Agrees to $200 Million Fine to Settle Fight With Trump
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Columbia agrees to $221 million settlement with the Trump admin
Columbia University has made a deal with the Trump administration, which will include over $220 million paid to the federal government. “While Columbia does not admit to wrongdoing with this resolution agreement, the institution’s leaders have recognized
Columbia University has made a deal with the Trump administration, which will include over $220 million paid to the federal government, according to a Wednesday announcement.
“While Columbia does not admit to wrongdoing with this resolution agreement, the institution’s leaders have recognized, repeatedly, that Jewish students and faculty have experienced painful, unacceptable incidents and that reform was and is needed,” the institution said.
Columbia University Settles With Trump For Over $200 Million — Is Harvard Next?
Columbia University has agreed to pay $200 million to the Trump administration in a settlement over accusations that it failed to protect Jewish students on campus. The payment, to be made over three years, was announced in a statement released by the university on Wednesday. In return, the federal government will restore part of the $400 million in research grants it froze or terminated in March. The settlement also includes an additional $21 million payment to resolve investigations by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Columbia University has agreed to pay $200 million to the Trump administration in a settlement over accusations that it failed to protect Jewish students on campus. The payment, to be made over three years, was announced in a statement released by the university on Wednesday. In return, the federal government will restore part of the $400 million in research grants it froze or terminated in March, amid intensifying scrutiny over how the university handled campus antisemitism during pro-Palestinian protests tied to the Israel-Gaza conflict in late 2023.
Columbia was the first university formally targeted by the administration for what it described as “institutional failure” to curb antisemitic harassment and threats. Acting University President Claire Shipman acknowledged the settlement as “an important step forward after a period of sustained federal scrutiny and institutional uncertainty.”
The settlement also includes an additional $21 million payment to resolve investigations by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
As part of a broader agreement, Columbia had already complied with several White House demands in April, including overhauling its student disciplinary procedures and adopting a revised federal definition of antisemitism. Wednesday’s announcement formally codifies those reforms.
Trump vs. Harvard : Latest Update
The Trump administration has waged dispute with Harvard University over allegations of antisemitism on campus amid Israel-Gaza conflict and the university’s refusal to comply with certain demands related to its governance, hiring, and admissions policies. In the latest move on that front, the White House has launched a new investigation into Harvard University’s eligibility to sponsor visas under the Exchange Visitor Program, escalating its clash with the Ivy League school.
While no specific violations were cited, Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that visa sponsorship is a “privilege.” Harvard denounced the probe as retaliation and a violation of its First Amendment rights. The university is already battling the administration in court over revoked visa programs and frozen federal research funding, which exceeds $2 billion. Government lawyers argue Harvard failed to curb campus antisemitism, prioritizing protests over national interests like medical research.
Columbia University agrees to pay more than $220M in deal with Trump to restore federal funding
Columbia University agrees to pay $21 million to the U.S. Equal Employment Commission. The money was to be used to combat antisemitism on campus. The agreement follows a series of steps taken by the university to combat the problem.
Under the agreement, the Ivy League school will pay the $200 million settlement over three years to the federal government, the university said. It will also pay $21 million to settle investigations brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
“This agreement marks an important step forward after a period of sustained federal scrutiny and institutional uncertainty, acting University President Claire Shipman said.
The administration pulled the funding because of what it described as the university’s failure to squelch antisemitism on campus during the Israel-Hamas war that began in October 2023.
Columbia then agreed to a series of demands laid out by the Republican administration, including overhauling the university’s student disciplinary process and adopting a new definition of antisemitism. Wednesday’s agreement codifies those reforms, Shipman said.
Columbia University to pay Trump admin $200m to settle dispute
Columbia University to pay $200m in settlement with Trump administration. It was the first school targeted by the administration for its alleged failures to curb antisemitism amid last year’s Israel-Gaza war protests. It had already agreed to a set of demands from the White House in April. In exchange, the government has agreed to return some of the $400m in federal grants it froze or terminated in March. The settlement will be paid to the federal government over three years.
Columbia was the first school targeted by the administration for its alleged failures to curb antisemitism amid last year’s Israel-Gaza war protests on its New York City campus. It had already agreed to a set of demands from the White House in April.
In exchange, the government has agreed to return some of the $400m in federal grants it froze or terminated in March.
The settlement, which will be paid to the federal government over three years, was announced in a statement released by the university on Wednesday.
Columbia University has agreed to pay $200m (£147m) to the Trump administration over accusations that it had failed to protect its Jewish students.
Columbia is among a list of universities that have been targeted by the Trump administration over protests relating to the war in Gaza and other issues, including transgender athletes and diversity, inclusion and inclusion (DEI).
One month after Trump was sworn into office, his administration stripped Columbia of $400m in federal funding over allegations of antisemitism.
The February decision led to the college enacting campus rule changes demanded by the White House, including the re-organisation of its Middle Eastern studies department.
Columbia said as part of the settlement, a vast majority of the cancelled or paused grants would be reinstated.
The agreement codifies many changes the college has announced and includes that a jointly selected independent monitor will be appointed to assess implementation of the agreement.
Some of those adjustments include disciplining students who were part of the encampment on the university’s campus as part of the Gaza protests, requiring those protesting to show their campus ID, not allowing face masks during demonstrations, providing greater oversight of student groups, and an expansion of officers on campus.
“This agreement marks an important step forward after a period of sustained federal scrutiny and institutional uncertainty,” Acting University President Claire Shipman said in a statement.
“The settlement was carefully crafted to protect the values that define us and allow our essential research partnership with the federal government to get back on track.”
She added that the terms of the agreement would safeguard the school’s independence.
The university said the settlement was not an admission of wrongdoing.
In new agreement with Trump administration, Columbia University to pay $200 million fine
Columbia University will pay a massive $200 million fine over three years to the government. It will also jointly appoint an independent monitor to update the federal government on its compliance with new policies. The agreement marks the second major concession from the prestigious university in its protracted negotiations. Despite the drawn-out talks, and many compromises on Columbia’s part, the Trump administration has yet to reroute hundreds of millions of dollars back to the school. The announcement also comes after the University of Pennsylvania, another Ivy League school, agreed to a series of demands related to preventing transgender athletes from competing.
The Ivy League school in New York City will pay a massive $200 million fine over three years to the government to settle allegations it violated federal civil rights laws and failed to protect members of its Jewish community from discrimination.
It will also jointly appoint an independent monitor to update the federal government on its compliance with new policies, and pay an additional $21 million fine to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
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The agreement marks the second major concession from the prestigious university in its protracted negotiations with the government. Despite the drawn-out talks, and many compromises on Columbia’s part, the Trump administration has yet to reroute hundreds of millions of dollars back to the school.
The school previously agreed, among other things, to bolster campus law enforcement, appoint a new administrator to oversee its Middle Eastern studies department and retool its protest policies in an effort to assuage the White House.
Columbia’s acting president, Claire Shipman, said in a statement that the agreement preserves the university’s independence and will restore research funding, including from the National Institutes of Health, on which the school depends.
“This agreement marks an important step forward after a period of sustained federal scrutiny and institutional uncertainty,” she said. “The settlement was carefully crafted to protect the values that define us and allow our essential research partnership with the federal government to get back on track.”
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The announcement also comes after the Trump administration pushed the University of Pennsylvania, another Ivy League school, to agree to a series of demands related to preventing transgender athletes from competing. Similarly, that deal was reached to restore massive amounts of federal money.
Read more: Lia Thomas, Title IX and $175M: Why Penn struck a deal with Trump
Meanwhile, Columbia is facing a separate battle over its accreditation status, which the school needs in order to distribute federal financial aid dollars to students.
The Education Department has pushed Columbia’s accreditor, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, to reevaluate its standing. Though Middle States has placed the university on warning, such a step would be virtually unprecedented, and a long and complex process would have to be followed before its accreditation could be revoked.
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Zachary Schermele is an education reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach him by email at zschermele@usatoday.com. Follow him on X at @ZachSchermele and Bluesky at @zachschermele.bsky.social.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Columbia University fined $200 million by Trump administration
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/23/nyregion/columbia-trump-funding-deal.html