• The US Department of Education claims Columbia University violated federal anti-discrimination laws.
• Columbia is accused of failing to protect Jewish students during protests related to the Gaza conflict.
• Accreditation threats could impact federal funding, including student loans and grants.
• The situation has heightened tensions between the Trump administration and elite universities.
• Columbia University has initiated policy changes under federal pressure yet still faces scrutiny.

The US Department of Education announced on June 4, 2025, that Columbia University has failed to meet accreditation standards due to allegations of violating federal anti-discrimination laws. This issue arose in the context of ongoing protests concerning the Gaza conflict, where the government claims that Columbia’s leadership "acted with deliberate indifference" towards the harassment of Jewish students on campus, a violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, according to Reuters, Newsweek, and ABC News.

Secretary of Education Linda McMahon emphasized the significance of accreditors as gatekeepers of federal student aid and has asserted that Columbia's actions constitute a failure to protect students' civil rights. The Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) flagged Columbia to its accrediting body, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, indicating non-compliance and necessitating a remediation plan, as stated by CBS News, Al Jazeera, and HuffPost.

The pressure on Columbia comes amid widespread protests on campuses in support of Palestine, which have drawn accusations of creating hostile environments for Jewish students. McMahon condemned the university for neglecting its responsibility to ensure equal educational opportunities for all students, describing Columbia's inaction as "immoral" and "unlawful," according to New York Times and Le Monde.

Columbia University has faced financial repercussions due to lost federal funding exceeding $400 million, which has intensified scrutiny and dialogue with government officials about its campus policies. With its accreditation at risk, Columbia students could face significant impacts on their access to federal student assistance, exacerbating the already tense atmosphere on campus amidst political backlash against higher education institutions, according to India Times, Channel News Asia, and SCMP.

In response to the Department of Education’s findings, Columbia stated that it is working closely with the Middle States Commission to address the concerns raised and remains committed to combating antisemitism, reflecting its awareness of both internal and external pressures from the ongoing political climate.