Columbia President Misleads Faculty on Trump Admin Funding Demands

Columbia University interim president Katrina Armstrong held a private Zoom meeting with faculty where she contradicted her public commitments to the Trump administration regarding reforms aimed at addressing anti-Semitism on campus. Armstrong assured the faculty that there would be 'no change to masking' and that the university's disciplinary processes would remain independent, despite earlier announcements that suggested otherwise. These remarks came after Columbia sent a letter to the Trump administration outlining steps to address concerns within the university community, including rules against masked protests. Critics have pointed to the university's Middle East, South Asian, and African Studies department as a source of anti-Semitism, with Armstrong confirming that it would not be placed under academic receivership as demanded by the administration. The conflicting messages from Armstrong have raised questions about Columbia's sincerity in implementing the requested changes. The situation has implications for the university's efforts to regain approximately $430 million in federal funding that has been withheld due to these issues.