The Schooling Division stated Wednesday that Columbia College has violated federal antidiscrimination legal guidelines and has due to this fact failed to satisfy accreditation requirements.
The division’s civil rights workplace notified the Center States Fee on Greater Schooling — which accredits U.S. faculties and universities — that Columbia was out of compliance, in response to a information launch from the Schooling Division.
The division, citing President Trump’s government order on accreditation requirements, accused the college’s leaders of failing to deal with antisemitism on campus after the Oct. 7 assault towards Israel by Hamas.
“After Hamas’ October 7, 2023, terror assault on Israel, Columbia College’s management acted with deliberate indifference in the direction of the harassment of Jewish college students on its campus,” Schooling Secretary Linda McMahon stated within the launch.Â
She famous that the accreditation fee has “an unlimited public duty as gatekeepers of federal scholar help,” and so they “decide which establishments are eligible for federal scholar loans and Pell Grants.” Shedding its accreditation would imply that Columbia could be ineligible to supply federal monetary help to college students attending the college.
“In mild of OCR’s dedication, Columbia College not seems to satisfy the Fee’s accreditation requirements,” the division launch stated.
A Columbia spokesperson instructed CBS Information the college is conscious of the Division of Schooling’s considerations and has “addressed these considerations immediately with Center States,” referring to its accreditor. The spokesperson additionally stated the college is “deeply dedicated to combating antisemitism on our campus” and is “persevering with to work with the federal authorities to deal with it.”
The accreditation group confirmed to CBS Information it acquired a letter Wednesday on the Division of Schooling’s points with Columbia, however didn’t remark additional.
Final month, the civil rights places of work of the Schooling Division and Division of Well being and Human Providers decided that Columbia had “didn’t meaningfully defend Jewish college students towards extreme and pervasive harassment on Columbia’s campus and consequently denied these college students’ equal entry to academic alternatives to which they’re entitled below the legislation.”Â
This can be a growing story and shall be up to date.
