Trump administration says Columbia University ‘continually failed to protect Jewish students’
The administration’s announcement did not outline any new actions against Columbia
Jewish students at Columbia University gather on Low Steps on Tuesday, March 11 to demonstrate for Mahmoud Khalil, a pro-Palestinian activist and Columbia graduate who was detained by ICE on March 8. (Jackie Hajdenberg)
(JTA) — Columbia University violated federal rules by “acting with deliberate indifference towards student-on-student harassment of Jewish students” since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack, the Trump administration announced Thursday.
The department did not announce any new actions against Columbia, which the Trump administration has already pressured into making changes amid its crackdown on campuses with antisemitism complaints.
The announcement marked the conclusion of an investigation undertaken by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Civil Rights. It found that the school had “continually failed to protect Jewish students,” citing a laundry list of violations by the school ranging from failing to investigate and punish vandalism, including “repeated drawing of swastikas,” and failing to enforce restrictions on protest.
“The findings carefully document the hostile environment Jewish students at Columbia University have had to endure for over 19 months, disrupting their education, safety, and well-being,” said Anthony Archeval, the office’s acting director. “We encourage Columbia University to work with us to come to an agreement that reflects meaningful changes that will truly protect Jewish students.”
“We understand this finding is part of our ongoing discussions with the government. Columbia is deeply committed to combating antisemitism and all forms of harassment and discrimination on our campus,” a Columbia spokesperson said in a statement. “We take these issues seriously and will work with the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Education to address them.”
The announcement comes two months after Columbia acquiesced to a series of Trump administration demands regarding its handling of pro-Palestinian protest in an attempt to regain $400 million of federal grants cancelled over campus antisemitism.
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