Columbia University has agreed to pay over $200 million (approximately Ksh.25.7 billion) to the U.S. government in a sweeping settlement that will restore most of its suspended federal funding and resolve multiple federal investigations, the institution confirmed on Wednesday.
The agreement follows months of scrutiny from President Donald Trump’s administration, which has aggressively targeted elite universities over their handling of pro-Palestinian campus protests that erupted last year amid Israel’s military offensive in Gaza.
In March, the Trump administration cut $400 million in federal grants to Columbia, citing the university’s “inadequate response” to alleged antisemitism and harassment of Jewish and Israeli students during protests. The latest settlement will see a majority of those funds reinstated and ensure Columbia’s continued access to billions in current and future research and education grants.
“This agreement secures the university’s continued access to federal resources while preserving its autonomy over academic matters, admissions, and hiring,” Columbia said in a statement.
The settlement includes a separate $21 million payment to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to resolve investigations related to hiring and admissions practices. Under the deal’s terms, Columbia will eliminate race-based preferences and dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs.
The university has also agreed to significant internal changes, including reforming its Faculty Senate, ensuring “viewpoint diversity” in Middle East studies, disciplining students involved in disruptive protests, and conducting a comprehensive review of international admissions policies. Two new administrative positions, one for monitoring antisemitism and another for compliance oversight, will be created within 30 days.
The settlement has sparked strong reactions. Pro-Palestinian group Columbia University Apartheid Divest slammed the agreement, calling it a “bribe” and accusing the university of capitulating to political pressure. “Imagine selling your students out just so you can pay Trump $221 million and keep funding genocide,” the group said.
The university’s recent adoption of a controversial definition of antisemitism, equating anti-Zionism with antisemitism, has also drawn criticism from academics and rights groups, who argue it stifles free speech and delegitimizes Palestinian advocacy. Some Jewish student organizations have joined pro-Palestinian voices in asserting that the administration is conflating legitimate criticism of Israel with hate speech.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon said the agreement would ensure Columbia enforces discipline on student protesters and brings “ideological balance” to its programs, particularly those focusing on the Middle East.
Meanwhile, rights groups have raised alarm over the lack of measures to address anti-Muslim and anti-Arab bias, which has reportedly surged during the Israel-Gaza conflict. The Trump administration has yet to propose formal responses to concerns of Islamophobia.
The announcement comes a day after Columbia sanctioned dozens of students who occupied the university’s main library during a pro-Palestinian protest in May. The administration has also faced legal setbacks in efforts to deport foreign students involved in protests.
The settlement is being closely watched as a precedent for how the federal government may exert financial pressure on higher education institutions amid escalating tensions over free speech, academic freedom, and Middle East policy.
Written By Rodney Mbua
