The Ministry of Education, June 4, announced that Columbia University had violated federal laws on anti-discrimination and could not protect Jewish students in the middle of pro-Palestinian protests on academic grounds. The ministry said that this violation places Columbia in violation of the standards required by its accreditation agency, the Commission of Secondary States for Higher Education.
“Deliberate indifference”
Minister of Education Linda McMahon issued a strong statement and said: “The school management dealt with deliberate indifference to the harassment of Jewish students on its campus” after Hamas attack on Israel 7 October.
Accreditation endangered
The Ministry formally informed the Commission of the Middle States and stressed that Columbia’s action violated the head of the Civil Rights Act. Federal law requires accreditations to inform members institutions about such violations and make a plan to restore compliance with the regulations.
“If the university fails to observe compliance with the regulations in the specified period, the Accreditor must take the relevant measures against its membership institution,” the ministry said.
“The accreditations have a huge public responsibility as federal student assistance. They determine which institutions are eligible for federal student loans and Pell grants. Like the Ministry of Education, the University’s accreditations are obliged to observe their standards.”
Financing and Student Assistance in Endangers
Columbia has already lost $ 400 million in federal grants and contracts at the beginning of this year, provoking almost 180 employees. Potential loss of accreditation could have far -reaching impacts, especially on students who rely on federal assistance. According to Columbia website, 21% of college students receive Columbia College and Columbia Engineering Grant Pell.
Trump called Columbia University “very, very bad”.
Trump escalated his confrontation with Harvard University on May 29. He accused the institution of disrespect to Earth and chose it as the focus of anti-Semitism associated with anti-Israeli protests. Trump, however, appreciated Columbia University for cooperation, although he also called it “very, very bad”.
“Harvard must understand that the last thing I want to do is hurt. They hurt. They fight,” Trump said. “Columbia was very, very bad – what they did are very anti -Semitic and many other things – but they work with us to find a solution.”
(Tagstotranslate) Columbia University (T) Pro-Palestinian Protests (T) The Ministry of Education (T) of the Secondary States Commission for Higher Education (T) Federal Losses of Financing (T)
