In response to President Trump’s withdrawal of $400 million in federal funding, Columbia University has introduced new policies, including stricter regulations on demonstrations, revised disciplinary procedures, and an immediate review of its Middle East curriculum. These changes appear to be concessions to the Trump administration’s demands, which included enforcing disciplinary rules, regulating protests, banning masks, holding student groups accountable, empowering law enforcement, and reviewing Middle East studies and admissions. The administration’s actions followed campus protests related to the Israel-Hamas conflict. Columbia’s Board of Trustees endorsed the reforms, stating they align with the university’s values and mission. The new policies include hiring additional campus police with arrest powers, banning protests inside academic buildings, and revising disciplinary procedures for student protests. The university will also review its Middle East curriculum and admissions policies, aiming to increase intellectual diversity and address declining admissions of Jewish and Black students.
