Columbia University Faces Federal Scrutiny Over Discrimination Claims

The U.S. Department of Education has informed Columbia University of a violation of federal anti-discrimination laws due to its alleged failure to protect Jewish students. This breach puts Columbia at odds with the accreditation standards of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, impacting federal aid eligibility.

The U.S. Department of Education announced on Wednesday that Columbia University has violated federal anti-discrimination laws. These allegations stem from the university's reported inability to protect Jewish students on its campus from discrimination.

This alleged failure has resulted in Columbia not meeting the accreditation standards established by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Accreditation is critical as it determines the university's eligibility for federal student loans and Pell Grants.

Columbia has been a center for a prominent pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel student protest movement over the past year and a half, coinciding with Israel's conflict in Gaza. A recent investigation revealed that Columbia showed 'deliberate indifference' to the harassment of Jewish students during these protests, according to federal authorities.

(With inputs from agencies.)