Trump administration threatens Columbia University with its accreditation

NEW YORK, June 4 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Department of Education sent a warning to the accreditor of Columbia University on Wednesday, accusing that the Ivy League institution violated federal anti-discrimination laws.

A press release posted on the department's official website on Wednesday said that the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) notified the Middle States Commission on Higher Education that its member institution, Columbia University, is in violation of federal anti-discrimination laws and therefore fails to meet the standards for accreditation set by the commission.

Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in the release that "After Hamas' October 7, 2023, terror attack on Israel, Columbia University's leadership acted with deliberate indifference towards the harassment of Jewish students on its campus. This is not only immoral, but also unlawful."

"We look forward to the Commission keeping the Department fully informed of actions taken to ensure Columbia's compliance with accreditation standards including compliance with federal civil rights laws," McMahon said.

On Feb. 3, 2025, OCR initiated a directed investigation of Columbia University to examine whether the university discriminated against, enabled the harassment of, or tolerated violence against students and faculty on the basis of their Jewish ancestry in violation of Title VI and its implementing regulations.

According to the release, Columbia is accused of violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits recipients of federal funding from discriminating on the basis of race, color, or national origin.