Columbia University has announced a series of measures to address antisemitism on campus, including the adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism, the appointment of Title VI and VII coordinators to handle discrimination complaints, and a ban on recognizing student or labor groups that support the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement.
These steps come amid negotiations with the administration of President Donald Trump over the reinstatement of $400 million in federal funding that was suspended in March on grounds that the university had failed to adequately protect Jewish students from harassment and discrimination.
As part of the plan, Columbia will launch mandatory training programs for faculty and students in partnership with the Anti-Defamation League, Project Shema, and other organizations specializing in antisemitism education. The university’s administration emphasized that the IHRA definition will serve as a reference tool in evaluating complaints of antisemitic conduct, without infringing on academic freedom. It also committed to issuing public reports on the implementation of the new policies and on the outcomes of investigations into bias-related incidents.
The federal funding suspension earlier this year affected numerous research grants and institutional programs and was based on allegations that the university had failed to respond effectively to rising antisemitic hostility following the outbreak of the Israel–Hamas war in October 2023. The Trump administration welcomed Columbia’s new commitments but made clear that the release of federal funds will depend on measurable progress and consistent enforcement.
In recent months, Columbia has faced growing scrutiny from both federal officials and Jewish advocacy groups over demonstrations and rhetoric on campus that Jewish students described as threatening and exclusionary. Until now, university leadership had denied accusations of inaction and maintained that existing policies were sufficient.
