Donald Trump’s administration has cancelled about $400mn in federal grants and contracts to Columbia University because of what it said was the institution’s alleged inaction on Jewish students facing harassment.
“Universities must comply with all federal anti-discrimination laws if they are going to receive federal funding. For too long, Columbia has abandoned that obligation to Jewish students studying on its campus,” education secretary Linda McMahon said in a statement released by four federal agencies on Friday.
“Today, we demonstrate to Columbia and other universities that we will not tolerate their appalling inaction any longer,” she added.
Columbia has been in the spotlight since last year, when a wave of pro-Palestinian protests swept US university campuses.
The Ivy League university’s former president, Minouche Shafik, resigned in August following months of criticism over her approach towards the demonstrations.
Her exit followed those of the presidents of Harvard University and the University of Pennsylvania. The three underwent intense cross-examination in Congress during hearings centred on antisemitism at universities.
The grants and contracts cancellations announced on Friday form the first round of action, with further cancellations “expected to follow”, the Department of Justice, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Education and the General Services Administration said in their joint statement.
The decision comes one month after the White House announced up to $4bn in federal funding cuts for the administrative costs of research projects, which US universities said would endanger vital medical research. A federal judge in Boston has temporarily blocked the cuts.
The president on the campaign trail promised to tax university endowments and fine them for their positions on “culture war” topics, among other pledges relating to the institutions that he says are “dominated by Marxist maniacs and lunatics”.
Friday’s decision comes days after the four agencies announced a review of Columbia’s federal grants and contracts over investigations into “potential violations of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act”. Title VI proscribes discrimination based on colour, race and national origin in programmes receiving federal funds.
Other leading universities are also subject to investigations for alleged antisemitism.
The agencies alleged that since they announced the review, “chaos and antisemitic harassment have continued on and near [Columbia’s] campus”.
Columbia said the institution was reviewing the announcement and pledged to work with the government to reinstate the federal funding.
“We take Columbia’s legal obligations seriously and understand how serious this announcement is and are committed to combating antisemitism and ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our students, faculty and staff,” it added.