Columbia University’s interim president Katrina Armstrong said late Friday the school is actively addressing the concerns raised by federal agencies after $400 million in grants and and contracts were revoked from the university over allegations of anti-Semitism on campus.
“Columbia is taking the government’s action very seriously,” Armstrong wrote. “I want to assure the entire Columbia community that we are committed to working with the federal government to address their legitimate concerns. To that end, Columbia can, and will, continue to take serious action toward combatting antisemitism on our campus. This is our number one priority.”
Education Secretary Linda McMahon accused Columbia of failing to protect Jewish students, referencing the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel and the subsequent Israeli military response in Gaza as a turning point in the rise of anti-Semitic incidents on U.S. campuses.
“Since October 7, Jewish students have faced relentless violence, intimidation, and anti-Semitic harassment on their campuses–only to be ignored by those who are supposed to protect them,” McMahon said in a statement.
“Universities must comply with all federal antidiscrimination laws if they are going to receive federal funding. For too long, Columbia has abandoned that obligation to Jewish students studying on its campus. Today, we demonstrate to Columbia and other universities that we will not tolerate their appalling inaction any longer,” she added.
Columbia has been a focal point of pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel student protests since the Hamas attack. Last spring, protesters camped out on campus, and at one point occupied a university building. In recent days, students at Barnard College, Columbia’s affiliate, occupied multiple buildings to protest the expulsion of two students accused of disrupting an Israeli history class. Several students were arrested after a prolonged takeover of a building Tuesday night.
Armstrong, in her March 7 message, highlighted the university’s ongoing efforts to prevent harassment and discrimination, noting that her administration had strengthened disciplinary policies, restructured campus security, and increased resources for combating anti-Semitism.
“My first action as Interim President was to clarify our Rules of University Conduct and strengthen our disciplinary process,” she wrote. “We have transformed the University’s approach to managing demonstrations, built and put into action disciplinary processes that previously existed only on paper.”
Acknowledging that the funding revocation has created “anxiety and concern” for the Columbia community, Armstrong urged members to “summon the courage to meet this moment with determination, integrity and humility.”
