Columbia University to pay $200m in settlement with Trump administration

July 24, 2025

Columbia University has agreed to pay $200 million to the Trump administration over allegations it failed to protect Jewish students amid Israel-Gaza war protests. In exchange, the government will restore some of the $400 million in federal grants it previously froze or terminated. The settlement includes implementing various campus rule changes such as reorganizing the Middle Eastern studies department, hiring special officers empowered to make arrests, requiring ID for protesters, banning face masks during demonstrations, and disciplining students involved in campus encampments.

Who is affected

Jewish students at Columbia University
Columbia University researchers and programs dependent on federal funding
Student protesters at Columbia, especially those involved in Gaza protests
The university's Middle Eastern studies department
International students (mentioned in context of Harvard's situation)

What action is being taken

Columbia is paying $200 million to the federal government over three years
The government is reinstating a majority of the previously frozen or terminated grants
Columbia is implementing campus rule changes including reorganizing its Middle Eastern studies department
The university is hiring "special officers" empowered to remove students and make arrests
A jointly selected independent monitor is being appointed to assess implementation of the agreement
Columbia is enforcing requirements for protesters to show campus ID and prohibiting face masks during demonstrations

Why it matters

This represents what Education Secretary McMahon calls "a seismic shift" in holding universities accountable
The settlement affects Columbia's $400 million in federal research funding that had been frozen
McMahon described Columbia's reforms as "a roadmap for elite universities" to regain public confidence
The agreement reflects the Trump administration's broader campaign targeting over 4,000 grants at more than 600 universities, totaling approximately $8 billion
The settlement contrasts with Harvard University's approach of suing the administration rather than complying

What's next

The $200 million will be paid to the federal government over three years
A jointly selected independent monitor will be appointed to assess implementation of the agreement
The government will continue targeting other higher education institutions according to Trump's statement that "numerous other Higher Education Institutions... are upcoming"

Read full article from source: BBC