Columbia University has agreed to overhaul its protest policies, security practices, and Middle Eastern studies department in response to demands from the Trump administration, which threatened to strip the school of $400 million in federal funding. The changes, made after 17 months of escalating tensions on campus, include hiring a new internal security force, banning face masks on campus, and adopting a position of institutional neutrality.
The move comes as part of a broader campaign by the administration against elite universities and colleges, with many institutions keeping quiet on hot-button issues in hopes of avoiding scrutiny. The changes at Columbia have been welcomed by some, who see them as necessary steps to address long-standing tensions on campus. However, others have expressed concerns that the overhaul will erode academic freedom and faculty governance.
The crisis began 17 months ago, when pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian students organized competing protests in response to the Hamas-led attack on Israel. Since then, the university has experienced rare police summonings, presidential resignations, and the detention of a recent graduate by federal immigration officials.
While some have praised the changes as necessary steps to address campus tensions, others are concerned that they will have a chilling effect on free speech and academic inquiry. “This is a sad day for Columbia and for our democracy,” said Jameel Jaffer, director of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/21/nyregion/columbia-response-trump-demands.html