Columbia University has agreed to a settlement exceeding US $220 million with the federal government to reinstate previously cancelled federal research funding, the university announced Wednesday, according to the Associated Press.
Under the agreement, Columbia will pay $200 million over three years and an additional $21 million to resolve investigations by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. There is no admission of wrongdoing.
“This agreement marks an important step forward after a period of sustained federal scrutiny and institutional uncertainty,” stated acting University President Claire Shipman. The administration’s earlier decision to withdraw funds was attributed to Columbia’s handling of antisemitism allegations during the Israel‑Hamas war starting in October 2023.
In response to federal demands, the University has committed to a range of measures including restructuring its student disciplinary system, adopting a formal definition of antisemitism, and reviewing its Middle East curriculum for balance and comprehensiveness.
Columbia also pledged to appoint faculty to the Institute for Israel and Jewish Studies, end programs aiming for race‑based outcomes or diversity targets, and report to an external monitor that its initiatives do not promote unlawful DEI objectives.
“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,” added Shipman. She emphasized that preserving institutional independence remains “vital to academic excellence and scholarly exploration.”
Commenting on the agreement, Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, “I am pleased to announce that the Trump Administration has reached a historic agreement with Columbia University. Columbia has agreed to pay a penalty of $200 Million Dollars to the United States Government for violating Federal Law, in addition to over $20 Million to their Jewish employees who were unlawfully targeted and harassed. Columbia has also committed to ending their ridiculous DEI policies, admitting students based ONLY on MERIT, and protecting the Civil Liberties of their students on campus.”
He added, “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. 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. 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!”
Before Wednesday’s settlement, the Trump administration revoked hundreds of millions in federal research grants from Columbia over its handling of anti-Israel campus protests.
Earlier this month, the Wall Street Journal reported that discussions are underway between Columbia University’s board of trustees and the Trump administration regarding a potential agreement to reinstate some of the university’s federal funding.
Columbia had previously agreed to demands from the Trump administration, including restricting masks and empowering campus police, but these concessions did not lead to the restoration of federal funding.
Columbia’s own task force found Jewish students experienced verbal abuse and classroom exclusion during protests in spring 2024, while protest leaders contended their actions were directed against Israeli government policy – not Jewish students.
