Columbia University has agreed to pay $221 million in penalties to the federal government for the settlement of the recent investigations ordered by Donald Trump over “anti-semitism and pro-Gaza protests.”
The settlement move comes after Trump threatened to revoke all federal government funding from the University, which would have significantly affected thousands of students in the coming years. The payment includes a $200 million payment over three years to settle anti-semitism investigations and a $21 million payout to the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
The University, in a statement, said, "Importantly, the agreement preserves Columbia's autonomy and authority over faculty hiring, admissions, and academic decision-making.” The deal with the federal government means that all of the revoked funds will now be reinstated.
According to the acting president of the University, Claire Shipman, it "marks an important step forward after a period of sustained federal scrutiny and institutional uncertainty.” The settlement deal was announced by the University after they sanctioned dozens of students for their role in staging pro-Palestinian protests on campus in May 2025 and the spring of 2024.
The university became the epicentre of the nationwide protests last year against the War in occupied Gaza. Apart from settling the lawsuit with the US government University has agreed to implement a series of changes in structure after Trump pulled $400 million in federal grant funds. The US president alleged that the pro-Palestinian activists harassed Jewish and Israeli students.
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