SCOOP: Trump admin escalates pressure on Columbia as Ed Dept questions university's accreditation

EXCLUSIVE: The Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights sent a announcement to the accrediting assemblage that audits Columbia University connected Wednesday, notifying it that the Ivy League schoolhouse is presently failing to conscionable its standards for accreditation. 

The Middle States Commission connected Higher Education (MSCHE), which is simply a recognized accrediting assemblage for degree-granting higher acquisition institutions crossed the Mid-Atlantic, ensures that its subordinate schools – specified arsenic Columbia – conscionable established standards of world quality, integrity, organization effectiveness and more. MSCHE is 1 of respective accrediting institutions crossed the state that the Department of Education deems reliable. 

Only institutions accredited by Department of Education-recognized accreditors are eligible to enactment successful Title IV national fiscal assistance programs, specified arsenic Pell Grants and national work-study oregon pupil indebtedness programs.

The announcement to MSCHE marks the latest escalation successful the Trump administration's efforts to clasp Columbia accountable for failing to tamp down antisemitism connected its campus.

ANTI-ISRAEL STUDENT PROTESTER REPORTEDLY HAD CONTACT WITH HAMAS

Anti-Israel protesters astatine Columbia were arrested aft chaos erupted astatine the university's commencement past month. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)

"Accreditors person an tremendous nationalist work arsenic gatekeepers of national pupil aid. They find which institutions are eligible for national pupil loans and Pell Grants. Just arsenic the Department of Education has an work to uphold national antidiscrimination law, assemblage accreditors person an work to guarantee subordinate institutions abide by their standards," Education Secretary Linda McMahon said. "We look guardant to the Commission keeping the Department afloat informed of actions taken to guarantee Columbia’s compliance with accreditation standards, including compliance with national civilian rights laws." 

After launching an probe into Columbia successful February, the Trump medication opted to cancel $400 cardinal successful national grants implicit the university's "failure to protect Jewish students from antisemitic harassment."

Subsequently, Columbia agreed to marque changes successful an effort to forestall the funds from being canceled. The schoolhouse took steps to overhaul its policies astir protests, information and security, portion besides reorganizing its Middle Eastern studies department. The changes besides included adopting a caller campus-wide definition of antisemitism.

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY LAYS OFF AROUND 180 STAFF AFTER TRUMP ADMINISTRATION REVOKES GRANTS  

Linda McMahon was confirmed by the Senate successful March to service arsenic President Donald Trump's caput of education. (Getty Images)

Meanwhile, past month, Columbia said it would beryllium cutting astir 180 unit members successful an effort to "preserve [the university's] fiscal flexibility." 

"Across the probe portfolio we person had to marque hard choices and unfortunately, today, astir 180 of our colleagues who person been working, successful full oregon successful part, connected impacted national grants, volition person notices of non-renewal oregon termination," acting Columbia University President Claire Shipman said past month. "This represents astir 20% of the individuals who are funded successful immoderate mode by the terminated grants."

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Anti-Israel demonstrators wrong Butler Library connected the field of Columbia University, May 7, 2025. The protesters were subsequently arrested by NYPD. (Sam Nahins)

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"In the coming weeks and months, we volition request to proceed to instrumentality actions that sphere our fiscal flexibility and let america to put successful areas that thrust america forward," Shipman continued. "This is simply a profoundly challenging clip crossed each higher education, and we are attempting to navigate done tremendous ambiguity with precision, which volition beryllium imperfect astatine times."

Fox News Digital reached retired to Columbia for comment, but did not person a effect by work deadline.