BURSTColumbia University and the Trump administration announced a long-awaited settlement Monday night after months of negotiations.
Columbia will pay $221 million to restore the more than $400 million in federal funding that was cut off by the administration, which originally cited alleged inaction on antisemitism, though Education Secretary Linda McMahon pointed to more ideological motives.
"This is a monumental victory for conservatives who wanted to do things on these elite campuses for a long time because we had such far left-leaning professors,” McMahon said on Fox Business Network.
The university, which saw some of the nation's most active pro-Palestinian campus demonstrations amid the war in Gaza, did not have to admit to wrongdoing in the deal, which is certain to put the higher education world on high alert.
Columbia, Trump both tout deal as a win
Both Columbia and the Trump administration positioned the deal as a victory from their perspective.
“This agreement marks an important step forward after a period of sustained federal scrutiny and institutional uncertainty,” acting university President Claire Shipman said in a statement.
“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,” she added.
Columbia did avoid some earlier reported provisions that would have given the administration more control over its business.
But with significant reforms still agreed upon, the president went to Truth Social to declare victory.
“It’s a great honor to have been involved, and I want to thank and congratulate Secretary Linda McMahon, and all those who worked with us on this important deal,” he wrote. “I also want to thank and commend Columbia University for agreeing to do what is right. I look forward to watching them have a great future in our Country, maybe greater than ever before!”
Columbia agrees to multiple reforms
Along with the more than $200 million Columbia will pay over three years, an additional $21 million will go to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to resolve all federal investigations against the university.
Columbia also said it would implement reforms announced back in March, such as reviewing its Middle East curriculum and ending programs that “promote unlawful efforts to achieve race-based outcomes, quotes, diversity targets or similar efforts,” with a report to monitor that progress.
The university also agreed to ask incoming foreign students “questions designed to elicit their reasons for wishing to study in the United States” and said it would provide information to the federal government regarding international students who are expelled.
The school and the federal government will agree on an independent monitor to ensure the resolution is followed.
Columbia did not try to fight in court
Columbia’s strategy with the Trump administration has appeared to be one of full cooperation, in contrast with other schools, particularly Harvard University, that have dug in their heels in opposition, filing multiple lawsuits against Trump's moves.
While Columbia’s faculty went through with its own lawsuit, a judge ruled only the university itself had the standing to bring a legal challenge to the Trump administration’s actions.
But Columbia decided, to a chagrin of staff and others in higher education, to try to come to an agreement.
“Columbia’s longstanding research partnership with the federal government is vital to advancing our nation’s progress in key areas of science, technology, and medicine,” board of trustees co-Chairs David Greenwald and Jeh Johnson said in a statement on the matter.
“We are proud of the role we play in advancing this public service and preparing the next generations of students to meet complex challenges around the world,” they added.
Trump sees this as roadmap for other universities
One of the biggest concerns of higher education was Columbia’s cooperation would lead the Trump administration to expect similar responses from other universities.
“Numerous other Higher Education Institutions that have hurt so many, and been so unfair and unjust, and have wrongly spent federal money, much of it from our government, are upcoming,” Trump wrote in his post announcing Columbia’s settlement.
McMahon, in her Fox Business interview, said, "Our campuses are now what they should be. They're places for debate, they're places for education. They're not places for left-leaning riots and antisemitism."
Higher education looks to Harvard for hope
From the start, Harvard University and Columbia took opposite approaches in handling pressure from the administration.
While Columbia worked on a deal with no retaliation, Harvard has sued multiple times, once for funding cuts and the other over attempts to take away its foreign students.
The attempts to stop Harvard from enrolling foreign students were struck down by a judge, and a ruling over the funding pause is likely forthcoming.
While Trump had indicated in June a deal with Harvard could be forthcoming, such an announcement never came.
Those in higher education are hoping Harvard keeps the fight going as a win against the oldest and richest nation in the country would pour even more gasoline on the Trump administration’s fire to go after universities.
“Research that the government has put in jeopardy includes efforts to improve the prospects of children who survive cancer, to understand at the molecular level how cancer spreads throughout the body, to predict the spread of infectious disease outbreaks, and to ease the pain of soldiers wounded on the battlefield. As opportunities to reduce the risk of multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease are on the horizon, the government is slamming on the brakes,” Harvard President Alan Garber said when Trump cut funding.