Columbia University on Wednesday agreed to pay a $200 million fine over a three-year period in a settlement over the Trump administration's antisemitism allegations. After months of tension, the deal will restore the majority of the $400 million in federal research funding the president canceled earlier this year and keep future government funding intact.
In exchange for reinstituting the federal grants, Columbia has agreed "to follow laws banning the consideration of race in admissions and hiring, and follow through on other commitments to reduce antisemitism and unrest on campus," reported The New York Times. A jointly selected independent monitor will oversee the implementation of the university's plans to combat antisemitism. And federal investigations into alleged civil rights violations against Jewish employees will also be settled for an additional $21 million.
"The Trump Administration's deal with Columbia University is a seismic shift in our nation's fight to hold institutions that accept American taxpayer dollars accountable for antisemitic discrimination and harassment," Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a statement. The reforms, McMahon believes, will serve as a "roadmap for elite universities" and "will ripple across the higher education sector," insinuating that other negotiations—like the high-profile feud between the Trump administration and Harvard University—could reach a similar conclusion.
