On March 7, 2025, the US departments of Justice (DOJ), Health and Human Services (DHHS), and Education (DOE), together with the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) notified Columbia University of the impending cancellation of $400 million in federal grants and contracts in response to the university’s allegedly inadequate efforts to combat antisemitism.
By March 13, several CU departments and institutions were reporting funding cuts. It was unclear whether those cuts were part of the $400 million or whether they were related to other federal government directives, such as cuts to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
On March 13, the GSA, DHHS, and DOE wrote to CU requiring that the university take several steps as prerequisites to negotiations about the resumption of funding. These included the abolition of the University Judicial Board and centralization of the disciplinary process under the office of CU’s president; the adoption of formal definition of antisemitism; and removal of faculty control of the department of Middle East, South Asian, and African Studies and placement of the department under the control of CU’s administration.
Scholars at Risk is concerned about the targeted reduction of university funding in an apparent attempt to impose ideologically-driven changes to the policies and practices of a private institution. Even if funding is restored, this is a direct encroachment by the government on the university’s autonomy to set policies concerning personnel, admissions, curricula, and the content of academic programs. Legislative and executive officials have a right to express their views about higher education communities and policies, but should refrain from using their offices to threaten or otherwise dictate academic decisions, including those relating to curricula or internal university disciplinary processes. External threats and pressures undermine university autonomy, academic freedom, and the university’s ability to contribute to democratic society generally.
Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/07/nyregion/trump-administration-columbia-grants-cancelled-antisemitism.html
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/government/politics-elections/2025/03/07/trump-admin-cancels-400m-grants-columbia-u
https://www.columbiaspectator.com/news/2025/03/11/nih-cancels-250-million-in-grants-to-columbia-as-part-of-400-million-trump-administration-cut/
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty-issues/research/2025/03/13/trumps-columbia-cuts-start-hitting-postdocs-professors
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/13/nyregion/columbia-university-students-disciplined-hamilton-hall.html
https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/newsroom/news-releases/doj-hhs-ed-and-gsa-announce-initial-cancellation-of-grants-and-contracts-03072025
https://x.com/nih/status/1899196680270238173?s=42
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/03/14/nyregion/columbia-letter.html