Columbia Professors Demand Action on Antisemitism as White House Nears Funding Deal

In a striking development at one of America’s most prestigious universities, a group of Columbia University professors and staff have penned a powerful letter to the institution’s leadership, demanding urgent reforms to tackle the rising tide of antisemitism on campus. This comes as the White House, under the Trump administration, inches closer to finalizing a deal to restore federal funding to the Ivy League school, previously slashed by over $400 million due to concerns over civil rights violations.

The letter, signed anonymously by numerous faculty members, calls for a return to moral clarity and institutional strength. It urges Columbia to set a national example by aligning academic excellence with ethical integrity. Key demands include holding accountable professors who promote antisemitic narratives, reinstating faculty penalized for supporting Israel, and imposing real consequences on students involved in destructive protests. The signees also push for the elimination of curriculum content that fosters bias against Jewish students.

Negotiations between the White House and Columbia appear to be aligning with these concerns. A senior administration official revealed that potential deal points could include revising policies on protest behaviors, scrutinizing the Middle Eastern Studies curriculum, and ensuring an equitable environment rooted in American values. There’s also talk of addressing racial hierarchies and unfair treatment in admissions and hiring practices, alongside greater transparency on foreign funding.

Columbia’s acting president, Claire Shipman, recently outlined new initiatives to combat antisemitism, emphasizing that any agreement with the government is merely a stepping stone. She advocates for self-driven reform as a more sustainable path to lasting change. Meanwhile, both parties remain optimistic, confirming that discussions are progressing constructively, though no firm timeline for a resolution has been set.

This saga at Columbia reflects a broader struggle within academia to balance free expression with safety and equity. As protests and arrests—over 80 at the university’s Butler Library alone in May—continue to mark the campus, the stakes couldn’t be higher. The outcome of these negotiations could redefine how universities confront bias and uphold their foundational values.