ACTA Statement on the Trump Administration’s Comprehensive Review of Columbia University’s Federal Funding

Washington, DC—Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Education, the General Services Administration, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released a joint notice announcing that the Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism will conduct a “comprehensive review of Columbia University’s federal contracts and grants in light of . . . potential violations of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.” The government will consider issuing stop work orders on $51.4 million in contracts with the university and will also review more than $5 billion in federal grants due to “Columbia’s ongoing inaction in the face of relentless harassment of Jewish students.”

The Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism was created by an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on January 29, entitled “Additional Measures to Combat Anti-Semitism.” Pursuant to the order, the Department of Education has launched investigations of civil rights violations at five universities, including Columbia, following reports of antisemitism.

Steven McGuire, the American Council of Trustees and Alumni’s (ACTA) Paul & Karen Levy Fellow in Campus Freedom, issued the following statement on the investigation:

“Columbia has been ground zero for disruptive protests since Hamas’s deadly terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. The occupation of Columbia’s Hamilton Hall in 2024 will forever be remembered as a symbol of the weakness and inaction of university administrators as they tolerated direct threats to the missions and operations of their institutions.

“Columbia’s new leadership has released a slew of statements this academic year responding to disruptions on its campus, but statements are not enough. The sheer volume of incidents requiring responses provides ongoing evidence of the deep and pervasive dysfunction at the university.

“Reformers within and outside Columbia have been pushing for changes that would improve the university for some time. The university should adopt the policies and practices outlined in ACTA’s Gold Standard for Freedom of Expression™, many of which align with reforms that Columbia insiders and the House Committee on Education & the Workforce have recommended. ACTA has also published two guides to help Columbia and other universities respond appropriately to disruptive campus demonstrations and recognize the dangers of buckling to the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement: An Equal Space for All and Danger in Divestment.

“The potential loss of up to $5 billion in federal funding ought to be a wake-up call for Columbia. Make no mistake, despite its massive endowment, Columbia is heavily dependent on federal money, and significant cuts would be devastating to its budget.

“As one of America’s most distinguished institutions of higher education, Columbia has made enormous contributions to the common good, and we hope it will continue to do so. Many of its wounds are self-inflicted. Now it must demonstrate that it understands the severity of the situation by promising immediate and substantial reforms that will protect faculty and students from discrimination and harassment while also improving the education students receive. It also must make new commitments to true diversity of thought and freedom of inquiry and expression on its campus.

“At the same time, we urge the federal government to insist on productive reforms. Reforming our institutions of higher education, rather than crippling them, should be the goal.”