Today's News: Trump Administration Threatens Columbia University’s Accreditation
The move reflects broader Trump administration efforts to reshape higher education policy through financial leverage and civil rights enforcement.
Photo: Hiroko Masuike/The New York Times
Overview
Date: June 4, 2025
Topic: Trump Administration Threatens Columbia University’s Accreditation Over Antisemitism Claims
Summary: The Trump administration has formally warned that Columbia University may no longer meet federal accreditation standards due to alleged civil rights violations. A Department of Education investigation found the university failed to protect Jewish students from harassment following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks. The Department informed Columbia’s accreditor, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, that the school’s accreditation could be in jeopardy. While Columbia has pledged reforms and continues to negotiate with federal authorities, the move reflects broader Trump administration efforts to reshape higher education policy through financial leverage and civil rights enforcement.
Sources
The New York Times – Trump Escalates Attack on Columbia by Threatening Its Accreditation
Fox News – Columbia's accreditation comes into question amid latest Trump attack
The Washington Post – Education Department says Columbia doesn’t meet accreditation standards
The Wall Street Journal – Trump Administration Attacks Columbia’s Accreditation
Key Points
The Education Department determined Columbia acted with “deliberate indifference” toward antisemitic harassment after October 7, 2023, violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.
The Department notified Columbia’s accreditor, Middle States, that the university “no longer appears to meet” accreditation standards.
Losing accreditation would cut off access to federal financial aid, but it is not an immediate risk; the process involves a lengthy review and appeals process.
Columbia has responded by pledging reforms, including changes to protest policies and academic programs.
The action is part of a broader Trump strategy to use accreditation as leverage for ideological and policy shifts in higher education.
Unique Highlights
The New York Times emphasized expert opinion that the accreditation threat is more symbolic than immediate and framed the move as political interference.
CNN detailed the executive order signed by Trump in April, giving legal basis for using accreditation as an enforcement tool, and noted the administration’s broader crackdown on elite institutions.
NBC News reported that Columbia had already begun cutting staff funded by frozen federal grants and was in active negotiations to restore the funding.
Fox News highlighted Columbia’s changes to its Middle Eastern studies department and new antisemitism definitions, and quoted acting president Claire Shipman’s remarks on financial pressures.
The Washington Post noted the Trump administration’s push for changes to university policies in response to pro-Palestinian protests and unrest.
The Wall Street Journal revealed that the administration is seeking a consent decree to place Columbia under judicial oversight and linked the move to Trump’s broader goals of reshaping higher education through accreditation reforms.
Contrasting Details
Immediate Consequences: The New York Times and The Washington Post emphasize the long timeline and limited immediate risk to Columbia, while Fox News and CNN portray the notification as an urgent escalation.
Tone Toward Columbia: The New York Times and NBC News provide a more neutral or skeptical view of the administration’s motives, while Fox News and The Wall Street Journal frame Columbia as resistant to accountability.
Role of Accreditation: CNN and The Wall Street Journal underscore how accreditation is now central to Trump’s education agenda, while NBC News focuses more on the civil rights violations themselves.
Financial Impact: NBC News and Fox News report job cuts and canceled contracts in response to prior funding suspensions, a detail not included in all sources.
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