Overview
- The HHS Office for Civil Rights concluded that Columbia University violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act by failing to address antisemitic harassment of Jewish students since October 2023.
- The investigation found Columbia delayed implementing effective reporting mechanisms for antisemitism until summer 2024 and failed to investigate or punish incidents like swastika vandalism.
- In March 2025, the Trump administration withdrew $400 million in federal funding over the university’s response to antisemitism allegations, with broader funding at risk pending reforms.
- HHS emphasized the need for Columbia to negotiate a formal agreement with federal agencies to implement meaningful policy changes safeguarding Jewish students’ rights.
- No new sanctions were announced, but the findings document a 19-month period of a hostile campus environment affecting Jewish students’ education and safety.