The Biden-era legacy of campus radicalism has collided head-on with accountability, but Columbia University may escape with a mere slap on the wrist. The university is set to finalize a $200 million settlement with the Trump administration this week to restore over $400 million in frozen federal funding, according to officials involved in the deal.
The draft agreement, still awaiting President Donald Trump’s approval, would require Columbia to release admissions and hiring data and pay the hefty fine. However, it abandons earlier demands for meaningful reform, including a ban on masked protests and new oversight trustees. The reversal raised alarm among conservatives.
Shabbos Kestenbaum, an RNC speaker and Trump supporter, slammed the deal, calling it “barely a slap on the wrist for its blatant violations of Civil Rights law” and warning it would “undermine President Trump’s strong track record of prioritizing American students over elitist institutions.” Civil rights task force chair Leo Terrell reposted Kestenbaum’s remarks, signaling growing frustration with the administration’s softened stance.
Initially, the White House pushed Columbia to accept sweeping reforms to university governance. But after Harvard refused similar terms and filed suit, Columbia’s interim president Claire Shipman rejected what she called “heavy-handed orchestration from the government.”
Despite Columbia’s ongoing presidential search being led by trustees and faculty with deep Democratic ties, including DEI-focused professors, the final deal omits any influence over the process.
As of Thursday, senior White House policy adviser May Mailman is set to meet with Columbia leaders to finalize the agreement. Whether this marks accountability or appeasement remains to be seen.
