**Columbia University Settles with Trump Administration for $200m**
The Columbia University has agreed to pay $200 million to the Trump administration as part of a settlement over allegations that it failed to protect Jewish students. The payment will be made over three years, and in exchange, the federal government will return some of the $400 million it froze or terminated last March.
This is not the first time Columbia University has been targeted by the Trump administration for its alleged inability to curb antisemitism during protests against the Israel-Gaza conflict on its New York City campus. The university was also required to implement changes to its campus rules, including the reorganization of its Middle Eastern Studies department and the hiring of special officers empowered to remove students and make arrests.
**A Shift in the Fight Against Antisemitism?**
Education Secretary Linda McMahon has hailed the settlement as a “seismic shift” in the fight against antisemitism on college campuses. However, not everyone is convinced that this agreement marks a significant step forward. Critics argue that it sets a troubling precedent for universities to compromise their values and independence in order to avoid controversy.
**The Bigger Picture**
This settlement is part of a broader trend of the Trump administration targeting colleges and universities over issues such as antisemitism, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, and transgender athletes. According to a tracker by the Center for American Progress, more than 4,000 grants have been targeted for termination in over 600 colleges and universities across the US, totaling around $8 billion.
**Other Colleges Face Similar Pressure**
The pressure on colleges to conform to the Trump administration’s demands is not limited to Columbia University. Other institutions are facing similar challenges, including Harvard University, which is suing the government over its decision to stop funding and enrolling international students. This battle between Harvard and the White House has just begun.
Read More @ www.bbc.com
