WASHINGTON (Diya TV) — The U.S. Department of Education has formally notified Columbia University’s accrediting body that it believes the Ivy League institution violated federal anti-discrimination laws by failing to adequately protect Jewish students during campus protests, potentially jeopardizing its accreditation status.
In a letter sent Wednesday to the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), the Department said Columbia had not met the standards required for accreditation due to its “deliberate indifference” toward antisemitic harassment on campus. That determination followed a joint federal investigation by the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services, which concluded last month.
“Accreditors have an enormous public responsibility as gatekeepers of federal student aid. They determine which institutions are eligible for federal student loans and Pell Grants,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon in a statement on Wednesday.
While the federal government does not directly accredit colleges and universities, it oversees and recognizes independent accrediting agencies such as MSCHE, which play a critical role in determining access to billions of dollars in federal student aid.
A spokesperson for MSCHE confirmed receiving the Department’s letter but declined to comment on how the commission might respond. The notification places new scrutiny on Columbia’s accreditation status, which could have major implications for the university’s eligibility for federal funding.
Columbia University, which has been under increasing political and public pressure amid nationwide campus unrest, said in a statement that it is working directly with MSCHE and the federal government to address concerns about antisemitism and discrimination.
The university has become a flashpoint for pro-Palestinian activism over the past year and a half, as protests erupted in response to Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza. Jewish students and advocacy groups have alleged that the protests created a hostile and unsafe campus environment.
Last month, the Education and Health departments concluded that Columbia had responded inadequately to reports of harassment, failing to take timely or sufficient action to protect affected students. According to officials, this inaction constituted a breach of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on race, color, or national origin in federally funded programs and activities.
The federal government’s move comes amid broader concerns about antisemitism and Islamophobia on college campuses, where students and administrators have struggled to balance free speech rights with student safety.
The Trump administration has taken a particularly aggressive stance against what it sees as leniency toward antisemitism at universities. Former President Donald Trump and his allies have frequently criticized accreditors for enabling what they describe as ideological bias and declining educational standards in higher education.
As of Wednesday, Columbia had not publicly released a new statement in response to the latest notification from the Department of Education. In previous communications, the university said it was committed to combating antisemitism and discrimination and would continue to collaborate with federal agencies to resolve the issue.
The Middle States Commission on Higher Education has not indicated a timeline for its review or whether Columbia’s accreditation could be formally challenged. However, the Department’s action signals increased federal scrutiny of institutional responses to campus discrimination and could set a precedent for how similar cases are handled moving forward.
