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New York Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- New York Times
Columbia and White House Enter Final Stage of Talks to End Standoff
Officials from Columbia University and the Trump administration on Thursday inched closer to ending a monthslong standoff over the college's ability to protect Jewish students from harassment, meeting for about an hour in Washington, where they agreed on the main terms of a deal but left without finalizing all of the details. There was optimism from some of those involved in the negotiations that an agreement would be announced next week, but they were hesitant to discuss specifics and risk upsetting the delicate negotiations. The deal is expected to include about $200 million in payments by Columbia to settle the matter, while the administration would restore most of more than $400 million in canceled federal research funding, according to a recent draft of the deal. The account of the White House meeting and information about a potential deal was provided by three individuals with direct knowledge of the continuing negotiations who spoke on the condition of anonymity so that they could describe sensitive talks. Claire Shipman, the acting president of Columbia, was among roughly 10 officials from Columbia and the Trump administration who met at the White House on Thursday to review the deal. President Trump has been fully briefed on the negotiations, a White House spokesman said. Columbia declined to comment on the details of the talks. 'The university remains engaged in productive discussions with the federal government,' Virginia Lam Abrams, a spokeswoman, said. Talks between the White House and Columbia have gained momentum in recent weeks. The two sides have discussed some kind of monitoring system that would track compliance by Columbia with the government's demands. At one point, the deal included a judge-approved consent decree, which is a legally binding performance-improvement plan. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Indian Express
12-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Columbia and Trump near a deal, with school possibly paying millions
Columbia University and the Trump administration on Friday were nearing a deal in the contentious fight over allegations that the school had failed to protect Jewish students from harassment, with Columbia potentially agreeing to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to settle the matter, according to two people familiar with the discussions. The deal, which remains in draft form, would restore at least some of the $400 million in federal research funding the administration canceled. In exchange, Columbia would provide compensation to settle allegations of civil rights violations and increase transparency about admissions and foreign gifts, among other concessions. The existence of a potential deal was confirmed by a third person, who, like the others, spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe sensitive negotiations. The deal could include $200 million or more in compensation paid by Columbia for alleged civil rights violations. Columbia officials are expected to meet with Trump aides next week at the White House to finalize the deal, said one of the people familiar with the discussions. A university spokesperson on Friday night did not confirm details of the deal or the potential White House meeting. 'The university is focused on advancing the discussions with the federal government. There is no resolution at this time,' the spokesperson, Virginia Lam Abrams, said. The current draft of the deal, which was first reported by The Wall Street Journal and The Free Beacon, does not go as far in exerting federal authority over the university as an earlier version that was circulated in April. That deal would have included a judge-approved consent decree, which is a kind of legally binding performance-improvement plan, according to a copy of that agreement obtained by The New York Times. A consent decree, which would have given the Trump administration significant control over the university for years to come, is not part of the current discussions, the people said. In March, after the $400 million in funding was cut, Columbia agreed to an initial set of demands from the Trump administration, including empowering campus police to arrest students, exerting more control over its Middle Eastern Studies department and restricting the use of masks at protests. Once those preconditions were met, Columbia continued negotiating over the return of the federal funding. Columbia's decision to negotiate with the Trump administration rather than sue was widely criticized within academia as a form of capitulation. Harvard University took a different approach, choosing to sue. Claire Shipman, Columbia's acting president, has defended her strategy, writing in a letter to the university community in June: 'Following the law and attempting to resolve a complaint is not capitulation.' And Harvard, despite its litigation, has also restarted talks with the Trump administration regarding the return of billions of dollars in federal research funding that have been cut. While the exact terms of Columbia's agreement are still being negotiated, it could be the first university to come to a resolution with the Trump administration for the return of research funding pulled as a result of antisemitism concerns. The Trump administration announced March 7 that it was canceling millions of dollars in grants and contracts to Columbia, an extraordinary step that made the university the first to be punished by the administration for what it called unacceptable harassment of Jewish students on campus after the start of the Israel-Hamas war. Punishment for other universities, including Harvard, Cornell and Northwestern, soon followed. As weeks passed, it became evident that the damage to Columbia's research enterprise went further than the original cut. The National Institutes of Health, the government's premier medical research funder, froze nearly all research funding flowing to Columbia, including for reimbursement of grants that were still active. Grant Watch, a project run by research scientists who compiled information on the grants pulled by the Trump administration, estimated this week that about $1.18 billion in unspent funding to Columbia from the NIH had been terminated or frozen. Other federal agencies, including the National Science Foundation, also pulled grants. Columbia was reaching a 'tipping point' of preserving its research excellence, Shipman said in June. Columbia's board met last Sunday to discuss potential terms of a deal, one of the people familiar with the matter said. The negotiations with Columbia have been directed out of the White House by a team led by a Trump adviser, Stephen Miller, with additional involvement of an interagency task force on antisemitism.
Straits Times
12-07-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Columbia and Trump near a deal, with school possibly paying millions
Columbia's decision to negotiate with the Trump administration rather than sue was widely criticised within academia as a form of capitulation. NEW YORK – Columbia University and the Trump administration on July 11 were nearing a deal in the contentious fight over allegations that the school had failed to protect Jewish students from harassment, with Columbia potentially agreeing to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to settle the matter, according to two people familiar with the discussions. The deal, which remains in draft form, would restore at least some of the US$400 million (S$512 million) in federal research funding the administration cancelled. In exchange, Columbia would provide compensation to settle allegations of civil rights violations and increase transparency about admissions and foreign gifts, among other concessions. The existence of a potential deal was confirmed by a third person, who, like the others, spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe sensitive negotiations. The deal could include US$200 million or more in compensation paid by Columbia for alleged civil rights violations. Columbia officials are expected to meet with Trump aides next week at the White House to finalise the deal, said one of the people familiar with the discussions. A university spokesperson on July 11 night did not confirm details of the deal or the potential White House meeting. 'The university is focused on advancing the discussions with the federal government. There is no resolution at this time,' the spokesperson, Ms Virginia Lam Abrams, said. The current draft of the deal, which was first reported by The Wall Street Journal and The Free Beacon, does not go as far in exerting federal authority over the university as an earlier version that was circulated in April. That deal would have included a judge-approved consent decree, which is a kind of legally binding performance-improvement plan, according to a copy of that agreement obtained by The New York Times. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Asia Air India crash report shows pilot confusion over engine switch movement Business F&B operators face tougher business landscape amid rising costs and stiff competition Business What's in store for policyholders after GE removes pre-authorisation letters for two private hospitals Multimedia Which floor is this? 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Columbia's decision to negotiate with the Trump administration rather than sue was widely criticised within academia as a form of capitulation. Harvard University took a different approach, choosing to sue. Ms Claire Shipman, Columbia's acting president, has defended her strategy, writing in a letter to the university community in June: 'Following the law and attempting to resolve a complaint is not capitulation.' And Harvard, despite its litigation, has also restarted talks with the Trump administration regarding the return of billions of dollars in federal research funding that have been cut. While the exact terms of Columbia's agreement are still being negotiated, it could be the first university to come to a resolution with the Trump administration for the return of research funding pulled as a result of antisemitism concerns. The Trump administration announced March 7 that it was cancelling millions of dollars in grants and contracts to Columbia, an extraordinary step that made the university the first to be punished by the administration for what it called unacceptable harassment of Jewish students on campus after the start of the Israel-Hamas war. Punishment for other universities, including Harvard, Cornell and Northwestern, soon followed. As weeks passed, it became evident that the damage to Columbia's research enterprise went further than the original cut. The National Institutes of Health, the government's premier medical research funder, froze nearly all research funding flowing to Columbia, including for reimbursement of grants that were still active. Grant Watch, a project run by research scientists who compiled information on the grants pulled by the Trump administration, estimated this week that about US$1.18 billion in unspent funding to Columbia from the NIH had been terminated or frozen. Other federal agencies, including the National Science Foundation, also pulled grants. Columbia was reaching a 'tipping point' of preserving its research excellence, Ms Shipman said in June. Columbia's board met on July 6 to discuss potential terms of a deal, one of the people familiar with the matter said. The negotiations with Columbia have been directed out of the White House by a team led by a Trump adviser, Mr Stephen Miller, with additional involvement of an interagency task force on antisemitism. NYTIMES
New York Times
12-07-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
Columbia and Trump Near a Deal, With School Possibly Paying Millions
Columbia University and the Trump administration on Friday were nearing a deal in the contentious fight over allegations that the school had failed to protect Jewish students from harassment, with Columbia potentially agreeing to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to settle the matter, according to two people familiar with the discussions. The deal, which remains in draft form, would restore at least some of the $400 million in federal research funding the administration canceled. In exchange, Columbia would provide compensation to settle allegations of civil rights violations and increase transparency about admissions and foreign gifts, among other concessions. The existence of a potential deal was confirmed by a third person, who, like the others, spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe sensitive negotiations. The deal could include $200 million or more in compensation paid by Columbia for alleged civil rights violations. Columbia officials are expected to meet with Trump aides next week at the White House to finalize the deal, said one of the people familiar with the discussions. A university spokeswoman on Friday night did not confirm details of the deal or the potential White House meeting. 'The university is focused on advancing the discussions with the federal government. There is no resolution at this time,' the spokeswoman, Virginia Lam Abrams, said. The current draft of the deal, which was first reported by The Wall Street Journal and The Free Beacon, does not go as far in exerting federal authority over the university as an earlier version that was circulated in April. That deal would have included a judge-approved consent decree, which is a kind of legally binding performance-improvement plan, according to a copy of that agreement obtained by The New York Times. A consent decree, which would have given the Trump administration significant control over the university for years to come, is not part of the current discussions, the people said. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Mint
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Mint
Columbia Receives Warning That Its Accreditation Is at Risk
(Bloomberg) -- Columbia University received a warning that its accreditation may be 'in jeopardy' from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, which cited 'insufficient evidence' that the school is in compliance with certain standards like fostering a respectful campus climate. The commission, which evaluates higher education institutions across the US, said Columbia remains accredited while on warning. The organization also cited concerns over Columbia maintaining a safety plan and following government laws and regulations, according to the commission's website. Columbia is confident in its ability to work with MSCHE to address the commission's concerns, according to university spokesperson Virginia Lam Abrams. 'Columbia is deeply committed to combating antisemitism on our campus and we will continue the important work of ensuring that Columbia is an open and inclusive place where students, faculty, and staff from all backgrounds feel safe, supported and welcome,' she said in an emailed statement. Schools need accreditation to access crucial federal loans for their students. Accreditation is also important in assuring students, faculty and potential employers that the institution can provide a quality education. Last month, the US Education Department said Columbia no longer met standards for accreditation, citing its leadership's 'deliberate indifference' to the harassment of Jewish students. It asked for MSCHE to ensure the university's compliance with anti-discrimination laws. President Donald Trump has called accreditation his 'secret weapon,' and pledged on the campaign trail to overhaul the system. He said that he would allow for the creation of new accreditors that will impose 'real' standards on colleges, such as eliminating wasteful administrative roles and protecting free speech. The president in April signed an order to reform the agencies, saying they routinely approve universities that are low quality. 'Accreditors have not only failed in this responsibility to students, families, and American taxpayers, but they have also abused their enormous authority,' the order said. He said they 'make the adoption of unlawfully discriminatory practices a formal standard of accreditation.' Six days after the Trump administration called Columbia's accreditation into question, the commission requested additional information from the school regarding its ethics and integrity standards, according to the MSCHE website. There are several steps before any accredited school would lose its designation and an institution has time to rectify concerns before a decision is made. Representatives from MSCHE visited the school's main campus on Manhattan's Upper West Side and its Paris location for on-site evaluations. The commission has requested a monitoring report, due Nov. 3, showing evidence that Columbia has achieved and can keep up compliance with its standards. (Updates story with prior comments President Trump has made on accreditors) More stories like this are available on
