NEW YORK – Columbia University has agreed to pay over $200 million to the U.S. government to resolve federal investigations and regain access to lost research funding. The settlement will see the reinstatement of nearly all funds previously frozen by the Trump administration earlier this year.
As part of the agreement, Columbia will pay $200 million over three years to address alleged violations of anti‑discrimination laws, plus an additional $21 million related to an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission probe. In return, the university will have access restored to roughly $400 million in previously withdrawn federal grants.
Columbia will also undertake significant policy reforms, including adopting the widely recognised definition of antisemitism, revising its student disciplinary processes, and removing race-based criteria from admissions and hiring practices. An independent monitor will oversee the implementation of these changes.
Acting university leadership described the agreement as necessary to secure Columbia’s autonomy and preserve its standing as a leading research institution. Though the university did not admit wrongdoing, it acknowledged serious concerns raised by Jewish students and faculty regarding their campus experience. Federal authorities have praised the settlement as a model for accountability in higher education.
The framework of the deal ensures restored funding and federal collaboration while enforcing compliance with new institutional safeguards.
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