March 7, 2025policy changehigher educationexecutive powercivil libertiesfederal grantsacademic freedomexecutive powerhigher education
Trump administration freezes $400M in Columbia University federal funding
The Trump administration froze $400M in Columbia University grants and contracts over the university's handling of pro-Palestinian campus protests. The administration demanded changes to protest policies, academic governance, and Middle East studies hiring. Columbia agreed to several demands to have some funding restored, raising academic freedom concerns.