Columbia Expels, Suspends Protesters Amid Federal Pressure

Columbia University has disciplined more than 70 students for their roles in pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel protests, including the May 2025 occupation of Butler Library and spring 2024 campus encampments. Two-thirds of the disciplined students received suspensions of one to three years or expulsions, with some also facing degree revocations. The disciplinary measures followed widespread arrests during the protests and were implemented amid federal pressure from the Trump administration, which had withheld $400 million in research funding over concerns about campus antisemitism. Columbia restructured its disciplinary process under the Provost’s Office and introduced new policies to combat antisemitism in part to satisfy federal demands. University officials stressed the need to uphold academic order, while protest groups criticized the severity of the punishments and their connection to ongoing federal negotiations. This crackdown represents a major shift in Columbia's handling of campus protests and echoes broader national debates over free speech, campus safety, and federal intervention.