5 Things To Know About Trump Admin's Settlement With Columbia University

President Donald Trump and Columbia University reached an agreement where the university will pay a $200 million fine to regain its eligibility for federal funding. The settlement follows months of discussions after Trump froze $400 million in federal grants to the school, accusing its leaders of failing to address anti-Semitism and campus disruptions. The Trump administration hopes this deal sets a model for other colleges and universities to follow. The agreement requires Columbia to pay $20 million to Jewish employees harassed by co-workers or students, and to allow the federal government to review its Middle Eastern studies major and other programs. The university must also hire faculty members committed to "intellectual diversity" and prohibit masked protests on campus. The settlement comes after months of campus disruptions, including pro-Palestinian protests and clashes with police, following Hamas's terrorist attack on Israel. Other Ivy League schools, including Cornell, Princeton, and Harvard, have also faced federal funding freezes and investigations into anti-Semitism and Civil Rights violations. Critics argue that the agreement sets a dangerous precedent and threatens academic freedom, while supporters see it as a necessary step to combat anti-Semitism and promote intellectual diversity. The Trump administration remains skeptical that U.S. higher education is serious about implementing permanent measures to combat anti-Semitism. Harvard, which has also faced federal funding freezes and investigations, has not expressed interest in a settlement like Columbia's and is currently involved in a lawsuit against the administration.