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Columbia doesn't meet accreditation standards due to antisemitism, Trump says
By
Jessica Gould
Published Jun 4, 2025
Modified Jun 4, 2025
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By
Jessica Gould
Published Jun 4, 2025
Modified Jun 4, 2025
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Columbia University has discriminated against Jewish students following the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas militants on Israel and no longer meets accreditation standards, the federal Department of Education alleged Wednesday.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon wrote in a letter to the commission responsible for accrediting U.S. universities that the Ivy League’s leadership “acted with deliberate indifference” toward Jewish students.
If Columbia were to lose its accreditation, its students would no longer be eligible for federal student loans and Pell grants, according to the education department.
A spokesperson confirmed the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, which is responsible for evaluating colleges and universities in the New York region, had received the letter.
The education department’s Office of Civil Rights completed an investigation into Columbia late last month and found that the university “failed to meaningfully protect Jewish students against severe and pervasive harassment on Columbia’s campus," according to McMahon’s letter.
“We look forward to the commission keeping the department fully informed of actions taken to ensure Columbia’s compliance with accreditation standards including compliance with federal civil rights laws,” McMahon said.
A spokesperson for Columbia said the school has addressed concerns with its accreditor and remains committed to fighting antisemitism on campus, adding that officials continue working with the federal government on the issue.
The move is the latest example of the Trump administration’s fight with Columbia and elite academia as a whole. In February, the Trump administration slashed some $400 million in funding for research at Columbia, accusing it of failing to address antisemitism on campus following the Oct. 7 attacks and Israel's subsequent campaign in Gaza.
Some Jewish professors and students have argued Trump is using antisemitism as a pretext to defund and destabilize elite institutions.
Columbia agreed to some of the administration's demands in hopes of restoring the funds, but negotiations are ongoing and the university has laid off 180 employees so far due to the cuts.
The Trump administration praised Columbia’s acting President Claire Shipman when she called on police to arrest pro-Palestinian protesters who had forced their way into Butler Library and occupied a room shortly before finals. But during commencement last month, she also called on graduates to defend academic freedom and free speech against government attacks.
This story has been updated with comment from a spokesperson for Columbia University.
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Jessica Gould
Jessica is the education reporter for WNYC and Gothamist. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Jessica reported on the shutdown and reopening of the nation’s largest school system, highlighting the unprecedented impacts on learning, health and mental health for students, staff and families. Got a tip? Email [email protected]
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