By: Fern Sidman

In a move that could reshape the future of higher education accountability in the United States, the Trump administration has launched formal proceedings aimed at stripping Columbia University of its academic accreditation, citing grave concerns over the Ivy League institution’s alleged failure to protect Jewish students from harassment and discrimination. The initiative, reported Wednesday by The New York Daily News and covered by Israel National News, represents one of the most forceful federal actions ever taken against an elite university on civil rights grounds.

The  Department of Education issued a formal notice to the Middle States Commission on Higher Education—the accrediting body responsible for Columbia—alleging that the university is in violation of federal anti-discrimination laws and therefore out of compliance with the commission’s standards. The notice was dated May 22 and included a detailed explanation of how Columbia’s policies and responses to recent campus unrest fell short of legal and accreditation requirements.

Education Secretary Linda McMahon, a key figure in the Trump administration’s education overhaul, underscored the department’s position in a public statement: “Just as the Department of Education has an obligation to uphold federal anti-discrimination law, university accreditors have an obligation to ensure member institutions abide by their standards.”

As Israel National News reported, the accreditation threat comes just months after the Trump administration announced a freeze on $400 million in federal funding earmarked for Columbia, following growing criticism of the university’s failure to adequately address antisemitic harassment during a wave of anti-Israel protests that swept the campus in late 2023 and early 2024. These demonstrations, many organized by student groups calling for Columbia’s divestment from Israel, frequently devolved into hostile and, at times, dangerous environments for Jewish students and faculty.

The ongoing federal investigation—driven in part by complaints submitted by Jewish organizations and students—has highlighted multiple incidents of verbal and physical intimidation, vandalism of Jewish spaces, and disruptions of pro-Israel events on campus. Israel National News has reported that many Jewish students felt “under siege” during the height of the protests, with some forced to leave classes, skip lectures, or hide their religious identity.

The Trump administration’s escalation—from funding withdrawal to accreditation challenge—marks a turning point in the federal government’s approach to campus antisemitism. Losing accreditation would be a devastating blow to Columbia University. Not only does accreditation validate the institution’s academic credibility, but it is also a prerequisite for receiving federal funds, including student financial aid, research grants, and institutional support. Without it, Columbia could face a mass exodus of students and faculty, and its degrees could lose recognition in both academic and professional spheres.

While the Middle States Commission on Higher Education confirmed that it had received the Education Department’s letter, it has not yet issued a public response. Under federal law, the accrediting body is required to review such complaints and conduct an independent investigation before making a decision about revocation. As the Israel National News report noted, even though the Department of Education cannot itself revoke accreditation, it does have the power to withdraw recognition of an accreditor if it fails to enforce its own standards—effectively placing enormous pressure on the Middle States Commission to act.

Columbia University, for its part, has so far declined to comment on the accreditation challenge, although it has taken recent steps aimed at placating both federal regulators and concerned stakeholders. Following the Trump administration’s announcement of the $400 million funding freeze, Columbia implemented a slate of policy reforms. Among the most significant was a restructuring of its controversial Middle East Studies department, which had long been criticized for anti-Israel bias. Oversight of that department has now been shifted to a newly formed academic committee.

The university also introduced a revised student protest policy, clarified disciplinary procedures for hate speech and harassment, and adopted a working definition of antisemitism modeled after the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) framework—a measure long advocated by Jewish advocacy groups. Additionally, Columbia pledged to expand the Institute for Israel and Jewish Studies and to foster “intellectual diversity” in Middle East scholarship.

Secretary McMahon acknowledged these efforts in a recent press briefing, stating that “Columbia is on the right track,” but stopped short of offering any timeline for reversing the funding freeze or withdrawing the accreditation challenge. As the report on Israel National News pointed out, the Trump administration has adopted a “zero tolerance” posture toward campus antisemitism, and Columbia’s reforms—while notable—are being judged not only on intent but also on results.

Political reactions to the move have been sharply divided. Supporters argue that the federal government is finally holding elite academic institutions accountable for fostering hostile environments against Jewish students. Critics, including some faculty groups and civil liberties advocates, have accused the administration of using accreditation as a political weapon to suppress pro-Palestinian speech. However, the report on Israel National News has emphasized that the actions are rooted not in viewpoint discrimination but in a documented pattern of civil rights violations.

As the accreditation review process unfolds, Columbia University faces a critical juncture. The outcome could set a powerful precedent for how the federal government enforces civil rights protections on campus—particularly amid a broader reckoning over the rise of antisemitism in American public institutions.

For now, the Trump administration appears resolute. As Israel National News reported, officials within the Education Department have indicated that additional investigations into other universities may be forthcoming, signaling that the Columbia case is just the beginning of a much broader campaign to confront antisemitism in higher education with the full force of federal law.