A financial settlement reached between Columbia University in New York and the U.S. government has concluded months of contention. However, experts view the Trump administration’s assault on universities as a “catastrophic precedent.”
David Bozen, a law professor at the prestigious institution in Northern Manhattan, told AFP, “The situation at Columbia fits into a broader authoritarian attack on civil society,” referencing similar pressures faced by the media and lawyers.
In late July, Columbia announced it would pay $221 million to “close multiple investigations” initiated by the Trump administration, which targeted several American universities accused of failing to address antisemitism on campus, particularly during last year’s pro-Palestinian protests.
Since his return to the White House on January 20, the pro-Israel American president has escalated pressure on universities by freezing federal grants totaling hundreds of millions, as seen with Columbia.
Nonetheless, many experts, including Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education, criticize the financial settlement that Columbia felt compelled to make with the conservative government.
Bozen argues that the agreement was “inherently illegal and coercive,” describing it as a form of “legalized extortion.”
Columbia University, along with Harvard, America’s oldest university located in Boston, denies overlooking any form of antisemitism and asserts that they have implemented measures to ensure that their Jewish students and staff feel safe.
The institution affirmed that its agreement with the Trump administration “protects its independence and authority over faculty hiring, admissions, and academic decisions.”
In contrast, Bozen strongly criticizes the “significant interference in Columbia’s autonomy.”
Furthermore, he believes that the settlement, exceeding $220 million, represents “the emergence of a new governing system in which the Trump administration regularly disrupts the education system and demands concessions.”
Thus, Bozen anticipates “immense pressure on Harvard and other universities” in the coming weeks.
The New York Times reported on the potential for a $500 million settlement between the Trump administration and Harvard.
In this confrontation, the federal government has halted over $2.6 billion in grants and revoked the license allowing foreign students to pursue their studies in the U.S.
However, unlike Columbia, Harvard has challenged these actions in court, marking a significant test for other higher education institutions targeted by the Trump administration.
Nevertheless, Stephen Levitsky, a public policy and governance professor at Harvard, fears that “Columbia’s case could set a disastrous precedent for academic freedom and democracy.”
The academic emphasized, “Those who engage in extortion do not stop at the first concession… There is a strong likelihood that this is merely the first step.”
He also condemned the “unprecedented assault” on higher education, urging universities to unite “to combat an authoritarian system.”
Indeed, Brendan Cantwell, a researcher at Michigan State University, perceives the Trump administration’s interference in university operations as having reached a historically unprecedented level in the United States.
For her part, Education Secretary Linda McMahon called the agreement with Columbia a “model for other universities in the country.”
She also announced on Wednesday a settlement to restore some federal funding to Brown University in Rhode Island in exchange for dropping its diversity policy.
Other institutions have made concessions as well, such as the University of Pennsylvania, which has barred transgender women from participating in women’s athletics.