Columbia University has agreed to pay the Trump administration $200 million over three years in a landmark settlement resolving allegations that the Ivy League institution failed to address antisemitism on campus. The deal also includes $21 million in penalties related to Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) probes and secures the return of $400 million in frozen federal research grants.
The settlement represents a decisive moment in the Trump administration’s crackdown on elite universities accused of promoting DEI ideology while ignoring civil rights laws. According to Acting President Claire Shipman, Columbia faced a choice: accept long-term federal scrutiny and risk losing accreditation and visa status for thousands of international students, or make concessions and settle. Shipman chose the latter, calling the deal “the right decision for Columbia.”
The controversy centers on widespread reports of harassment against Jewish students and Columbia’s alleged failure to intervene. The Trump administration accused the university of standing idle “in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students,” leading to a freeze of nearly half a billion dollars in federal funding.
In a statement, Shipman said that while Columbia did not admit to legal violations, it does not deny the “very serious and painful challenges” it has faced with antisemitism. She emphasized that the school’s leadership, legal team, and board worked through months of difficult negotiations to meet the administration’s terms while preserving the university’s academic autonomy.
One of the most notable aspects of the agreement is Columbia’s pledge to abandon DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) programs that conflict with federal civil rights law. The university will now prioritize compliance with bans on race-based considerations in admissions and hiring—a major victory for critics who argue that DEI initiatives have morphed into ideological litmus tests and are frequently weaponized against disfavored groups.
In addition to the financial penalties and DEI rollback, Columbia must also allow an independent federal monitor to evaluate its progress in combating antisemitism. Reports will be submitted to both parties every six months. This requirement underscores the depth of mistrust between the federal government and elite academic institutions and may become a standard feature in future settlements with other schools under scrutiny.
The settlement is the first of its kind and could set a precedent for other universities. Harvard is already engaged in its own legal battle with the Trump administration over funding cuts, though reports suggest officials there are watching the Columbia resolution closely as a potential blueprint.
While the university retains authority over admissions and curricula, the deal marks a clear reassertion of federal authority to impose consequences when taxpayer dollars are seen as supporting discriminatory environments. The Trump administration has made it clear that academic freedom does not include a license to ignore civil rights law or allow antisemitic harassment to flourish unchecked.
“This agreement marks an important step forward after a period of sustained federal scrutiny and institutional uncertainty,” Shipman said. “The settlement was carefully crafted to protect the values that define us and allow our essential research partnership with the federal government to get back on track.”
Columbia’s leadership hopes this resolution will close a volatile chapter. For the Trump administration and its supporters, however, it’s just the first step in a broader effort to reform higher education, root out ideological extremism, and restore equal protection under the law on America’s campuses.