The Trump administration's sudden withdrawal of $400 million in federal funds from Columbia University has led to at least nine other campuses in favour of next campuses.
The school, a mix that includes both public universities and Ivy League institutions, is on the official management list of schools that the Justice Department said may have failed to protect Jewish students and faculty.
Teacher leaders at many schools have fought back strongly against the claim that campuses are a hotbed of anti-Semitism. Some Jewish students felt unsafe, but the majority of the protesters said they were peaceful, and many of the protesters were Jewish in themselves.
The Trump administration has made higher education a priority. This week, the president threatened to punish schools that allow “illegal” protests in a social media post. On January 30th, his 10th day in office, he signed an executive order on the fight against anti-Semitism, focusing on what he called anti-Semitic racism at “left” universities. Then, on February 3, he announced the establishment of a multi-task force to carry out the mandate.
The task force appeared to move to action soon after a pro-Palestinian sit-in and protest at Bernard University, a partner school in Columbia. Two days later, the administration released a list of 10 schools last year, including Colombia, a massive pro-Palestinian camp.
It said it would pay the schools to visit, which is part of the review process to consider “whether corrective action is guaranteed.” It then announced on Friday that it would cancel millions on grants and contracts with Colombia.
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