Columbia University to pay $200m to settle anti-Semitism claims
Al Jazeera7 days
Columbia Pays $221M to Settle Federal Antisemitism Claims
Above: Low Memorial Library and Quad, Columbia University, on Sept.12, 2020. Image copyright: Education Images/Universal Images Group/Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
This settlement restores Columbia's federal funding and protects its academic independence by safeguarding its autonomy over hiring, admissions, and content while addressing legitimate concerns about campus safety. Without this deal, the university’s world-class research programs would have been devastated, and the visa status of thousands of international students threatened.
Establishment-critical narrative
This settlement is little more than a total capitulation on behalf of Columbia University. The agreement is effectively an extortion scheme, whereby the government’s threats have led Columbia to cough up cash, despite the deal’s violation of the First Amendment and relevant statutes. This sets a dangerous precedent for government control over higher education.