Introduction to the Settlement
The Trump administration’s milestone settlement with Columbia promises to bring stability to a university in crisis. It also delivers a crucial win to President Donald Trump in his campaign to reshape higher education. The deal clarifies the stakes for anyone weighing whether to fight the administration’s demands or concede.
Implications for Harvard and Higher Education
Columbia agreed to pay more than $220 million to the federal government to restore federal research money that was canceled in the name of combating antisemitism on campus. That decision offers a contrast to the path taken by Harvard University, which has lost billions of dollars in government funding as its legal battle escalates with no end in sight. The Trump administration is investigating Harvard University anew, this time the State Department, over the J1 student visa program. The school calls it another attack on its First Amendment rights.
The Columbia Deal
The White House is seeking a larger fine for Harvard, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday, citing a person familiar with talks with several universities. Harvard declined to comment on the reporting to the newspaper. Yet the Columbia deal also raises questions about university independence as the school submits to closer federal oversight. No sooner had Trump announced the deal than he sent a warning: Numerous other universities, he said, “are upcoming.”
Provisions of the Settlement
The deal is the first to settle a federal antisemitism investigation since Trump returned to office. It’s also the first agreement with a university touching on so many elements of the president’s agenda, from admissions and campus protests to women’s sports and diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Columbia agreed to some provisions similar to those that Harvard rejected and called a dangerous precedent. The settlement requires the hiring of new faculty in Jewish studies and a review of academics to ensure “balance.” Columbia will be placed under the watch of an independent monitor and ordered to disclose hiring, admission and discipline data to be audited for compliance.
University Autonomy
In what Columbia described as a victory for university autonomy, the agreement includes a clause saying the government has no authority to dictate hiring, admissions decisions or the content of academic speech. Acting University President Claire Shipman said it was “carefully crafted to protect the values that define us” while restoring the university’s federal research funding.
Reactions to the Settlement
Where some see pragmatism, others see capitulation
Some at Columbia called it the best feasible outcome. Some called it capitulation. Rep. Jerry Nadler, a Democrat from New York and a Columbia graduate whose district includes the Manhattan campus, called it a “cowardly” agreement. Columbia has effectively waved "the white flag of surrender in its battle at the heart of the Trump Administration’s war on higher education and academic freedom,” Nadler said.
Dozens of colleges are facing federal investigations
With the deal, Trump has new momentum in his expanding campaign to bring the nation’s universities in line with his vision. Dozens of campuses are under federal investigation for allegations related to antisemitism, DEI and transgender athletes in women’s sports. Trump has saved his strongest rebuke for elite private universities, yet his administration has also recently turned attention to big public universities including George Mason University.
More universities are pulling back from DEI
Even before Trump took office, more universities had been pulling back on DEI and taking other steps to backtrack on what some see as a leftward political drift. Yet if the Columbia agreement becomes a model, it could force an even deeper reckoning. The agreement requires full compliance with the administration’s interpretation of Title IX, the federal law barring sex discrimination in education. Trump officials have used the law to force the removal of transgender athletes from women’s sports. The deal also requires regular reports to ensure Columbia does not “promote unlawful DEI goals.”
Conclusion
The Columbia settlement has significant implications for Harvard and the higher education sector as a whole. It raises questions about university independence, academic freedom, and the role of the federal government in shaping university policies. As the Trump administration continues to investigate and pressure universities, the stakes are high for institutions of higher learning. The outcome of Harvard’s case will be closely watched, and its impact on the higher education landscape will be significant.
FAQs
Q: What is the significance of the Columbia settlement for Harvard and higher education?
A: The Columbia settlement has significant implications for Harvard and the higher education sector as a whole, raising questions about university independence, academic freedom, and the role of the federal government in shaping university policies.
Q: What are the provisions of the Columbia settlement?
A: The settlement requires the hiring of new faculty in Jewish studies, a review of academics to ensure “balance,” and the disclosure of hiring, admission, and discipline data to be audited for compliance.
Q: How does the Columbia settlement affect university autonomy?
A: The agreement includes a clause saying the government has no authority to dictate hiring, admissions decisions, or the content of academic speech, which Columbia describes as a victory for university autonomy.
Q: What is the impact of the Columbia settlement on DEI initiatives?
A: The agreement requires full compliance with the administration’s interpretation of Title IX and regular reports to ensure Columbia does not “promote unlawful DEI goals,” which could force a deeper reckoning for universities that have been pulling back on DEI initiatives.
