Reaction after Columbia University agrees to Trump administration demands to restore funding
MORNINGSIDE HEIGHTS, Manhattan (WABC) -- Reaction is pouring in after Columbia University agreed to the Trump administration's demands to restore $400 million in federal funding to the school.
The agreement comes after the university posted four-page memo entitled "Advancing Our Work to Combat Discrimination, Harassment, and Antisemitism at Columbia," raising alarms to those opposing the idea that the federal government should dictate university's academic affairs.
Among the White House demands include Columbia implementing a mask ban for protests, giving campus officers the power to make arrests and adopting a formal definition of antisemitism.
Columbia agreed to the changes after President Trump withheld hundreds of millions of dollars of federal funding, a move that's already impacting university researchers, who say their patients are the unintended victims.
"I've been hearing from patients over the past few days, you know, what does this mean for me? You promised me that you were going to try to get to the bottom of this, and now, I don't know," said Dr. Ian Lipkin, who heads up Columbia University's Center for Solutions for ME/CFS -- a chronic and debilitating disease.
The New York Civil Liberties Union released a statement in response to Columbia's agreement with the Trump administration.
"By giving in to the Trump administration's demands, Columbia sets a dangerous precedent that normalizes government intrusion on academic freedom and student expression," NYCLU Executive Director Donna Lieberman said. "Instead of standing up for academic freedom, its core mission, and its faculty and students, Columbia has capitulated to the bullies. The law was on Columbia's side, but the university hasn't given the slightest public hint of resistance."
Meanwhile, an event is planned for Saturday night at the New York Society for Ethical Culture over the detention of Columbia graduate student and pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil.
Khalil briefly appeared in a courtroom in Louisiana on Friday, as his defense team works to get him out of federal custody. The judge issued a continuance in Khalil's immigration proceedings until April 8 to give lawyers more time to prepare.
The activist was detained by federal agents earlier this month. Khalil has a green card and is a legal U.S. resident.
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