Columbia University has reached an agreement with the Trump administration to settle federal investigations and restore collegiate research funding. The university will pay $200 million over three years to the U.S. government and an additional $21 million to resolve Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) claims related to antisemitic harassment of Jewish faculty and staff El País.

This follows a March 2025 suspension of approximately $400 million in federal grants and contracts, imposed by Trump-backed Education Department officials. These freezes were issued amid controversy over Columbia’s handling of pro-Palestinian protests and allegations of antisemitic incidents on campus Reuters.

Under the agreement, Columbia will regain “the vast majority” of its suspended funds, including current and future grants. The deal also ensures access to approximately $1.2 billion in NIH and other federal funding streams BostonGlobe.com.

Conditional on the settlement, Columbia must undertake several reforms, including:

• Adopting a federal definition of antisemitism.
• Overhauling its student disciplinary process.
• Ending race‑based admissions or faculty hiring quotas and curbing DEI initiatives.
• Enhancing monitoring of international students, including reporting disciplinary events involving visa holders.
• Banning masks at protests, imposing stricter campus security measures, and appointing a “resolution monitor” to oversee compliance with the agreement ReutersWikipedia.

Columbia retains autonomy over academic admissions and speech but must coordinate with a federal monitor and appoint a senior university official to report compliance outcomes The Guardian.

Reactions are mixed: Trump praised the settlement on social media as a model of accountability, while critics—including faculty, students, and civil‑rights groups—label it a politically driven “extortion” that undermines institutional independence The GuardianThe Times of IndiaThe Washington Post. Meanwhile, Harvard University has resisted similar federal demands and opted to pursue legal challenges instead The Washington Post.

Main Points

• $220 million settlement: $200 M to government + $21 M EEOC payment.
• Reinstatement of ~$400 million grants and access to future federal research funding.
• Institutional reforms mandated: antisemitism definitions, revising discipline, regulating DEI programs, enhanced security, and reporting on international students.
• New monitoring framework: includes federal oversight while preserving academic freedom on speech and admissions.
• Polarized response: praised by Trump‑aligned officials; criticized as coercive by university advocates and civil‑liberties groups.

Future Projections

1. Other institutions under scrutiny
   • This deal sets a precedent; universities like Harvard—resisting similar demands—may face legal and funding pressure. Some could follow Columbia’s path; others may continue court challenges ReutersThe Guardian.
2. Shifts in campus governance
   • Increased federal monitoring of admissions, DEI, and protest rules may alter university autonomy, reshaping policies on free speech, student discipline, and diversity programming.
3. Political landscape for higher education
   • Expect intensified ideological battles in higher education policy, particularly about handling campus protests and balancing civil‑rights protection with academic freedom.
4. Impact on international talent
   • Rules focused on international student conduct and admissions reporting could influence campus dynamics and global enrollment trends.
5. Funding and legislative ripple effects
   • Congress may debate expanding or restricting federal leverage over university policies. Regulatory oversight frameworks for higher education may become more robust.

Columbia University has reached an agreement with the Trump administration to settle federal investigations and restore collegiate research funding. The university will pay $200 million over three years to the U.S. government and an additional $21 million to resolve Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) claims related to antisemitic harassment of Jewish faculty and staff El