March 23, 2025 — Behind the Scenes of Columbia's Fight to Restore $400 Million — and Its Lessons for Harvard

THE BIG IDEA: Behind the Scenes of Columbia's Fight to Restore $400 Million — and Its Lessons for Harvard

There's been a lot of confusion about what precisely is unfolding at Columbia and why it matters for Harvard. This week's 1636 Forum newsletter features an extensive FAQ to clarify the situation. We typically keep the Big Idea brief, but understanding the details of Columbia's funding freeze is crucial for Harvard.

What just happened at Columbia?

On Friday, Columbia University announced a wide-ranging set of policy changes responding to a March 13 letter from three federal agencies (Department of Education, Department of Health & Human Services, and General Services Administration). The letter outlined specific "preconditions" Columbia must fulfill before the government will negotiate the restoration of $400 million in federal funding, which was frozen on March 7 due to "antisemitic violence and harassment in addition to other alleged violations of Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964."

Backed by a public statement from its board of trustees, Columbia's announced policy changes include:

— Consistent, rigorous, and effective disciplinary actions. Students who violated the university's rules during its first encampment or the takeover of Hamilton Hall have been "suspended, expelled, or had their degrees temporarily revoked."

— Significantly reformed disciplinary processes. The University Judicial Board will now report directly to the Provost's Office, which answers to Columbia's President. Board members will undergo "a rigorous vetting and conflict review process to ensure objectivity, impartiality, and commitment to following and enforcing our community's rules and policies."

— Appointment of a Senior Vice Provost to review Middle East Programs. This new role will review Columbia's Middle East-focused academic offerings, such as the Center for Palestine Studies, Institute for Israel and Jewish Studies, and the Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies department. This role aims to "ensure the educational offerings are comprehensive and balanced" and "make recommendations to the President and Provost about any necessary changes, academic restructuring, or investments that will ensure academic excellence."

— Expansion of intellectual diversity among faculty. Columbia will "ensure intellectual diversity across our course offerings and scholarship" through faculty searches. This includes appointing faculty with joint positions across the Institute for Israel and Jewish Studies and other academic departments.

— Commitment to greater institutional neutrality. The Provost's Office is collaborating with a faculty committee to implement neutrality guidelines across the entire university, extending beyond the Office of the President.

What's the real story behind the scenes?

A Wall Street Journal exclusive reported Friday that Columbia's leadership found "considerable overlap" between what they and the government's letter believed to be "needed campus changes." Rather than a showdown with the government, the process reportedly created a convenient "convening opportunity" that allowed Columbia to engage directly with federal officials and accelerate reforms that were already "quietly underway." For example, Columbia had begun training special Public Safety officers months before the federal demand letter was issued.

Citing conversations with people "in the room," Stand Columbia (an alumni group like 1636 Forum) echoed this interpretation. In the wake of these policies, they spoke with Columbia faculty with a wide range of views, and found that even among those who supported reform, reactions to the policies were mixed. Supporters saw the week's developments as a way to "unjam the system" after more than a year of paralysis. Other faculty who were more critical of the policies believe they "didn't go far enough to justify the appearance of conceding to government pressure."

Does Columbia get the $400 million in federal funding back now?

No, Columbia's announcement on Friday represents its efforts to address the government's demand for "immediate next steps…as a precondition for formal negotiations."

The federal government must now determine whether Columbia's changes sufficiently meet its stated preconditions, as outlined in its original demand letter. On Sunday, Department of Education Secretary Linda McMahon said things "are on the right track now to make sure the final negotiations to unfreeze that money will be in place."

However, Columbia's response falls short of some specific federal requests. For example, Columbia has not implemented a mask ban, instead essentially reiterating its existing mask policy, which has historically been poorly enforced. Additionally, Columbia did not enact rigorous "time, place, and manner" restrictions on protests designed to prevent academic disruptions. Instead, the university simply stated that protests inside academic buildings are "generally not acceptable" due to their potential to disrupt academic activities.

What could Harvard proactively do to prevent something similar from happening at the University?

President Alan Garber appears to be taking the risk of government intervention seriously, as evidenced by his abrupt decision to cancel last week's planned trip to India. Many of the reforms Columbia recently announced were already underway before federal funding was paused or preconditions issued. Harvard has similarly initiated several reforms, particularly following its January 2025 Title VI antisemitism lawsuit settlements.

If Harvard aims to learn from Columbia's situation, it could consider many other changes based on Columbia's efforts, including:

— Enforcing Harvard's own rules — publicly. Columbia has finally undertaken 'real' disciplinary processes for some of last spring's protests, resulting in "multi-year suspensions, temporary degree revocations, and expulsions." Only after receiving the government's March 13 letter did Columbia release a general (non-identifying) statement about its disciplinary findings. Harvard could consider doing the same for last academic year's Yard encampment, University Hall sit-in, and HBS protest that resulted in assault and battery charges and proactively publicize the results in a non-identifying manner.

— Reforming University disciplinary structure. Harvard could standardize and centralize its Administrative Board (Ad Board) and appeals processes across all schools to ensure fairness, consistency, and to prevent sanctions from being overturned due to ideological differences or inconsistencies among individual schools.

— Updating student and staff orientation training. Harvard should integrate mandatory training on antisemitism, anti-Zionism, anti-Israeli discrimination, civil discourse, and viewpoint diversity into the orientation programs for students, faculty, and staff across all schools.

— Increasing transparency about academic rigor efforts in politicized departments. At Columbia, the Middle East Programs have come under scrutiny for politicization and a lack of focus on the university's core academic mission. Harvard could publicly communicate its efforts to realign its controversial schools, centers, and departments toward academic excellence and Veritas, rather than specific political agendas.

— Publishing the reports of the Antisemitism and Islamophobia Task Forces. It's been over a year since the Presidential Task Forces on Antisemitism and Islamophobia were created, yet they have not published their final reports. Additionally, Harvard Business School (HBS) Dean Srikant Datar should release the full, completed reports from the HBS task forces on antisemitism and Islamophobia. So far, he has declined to do so, opting instead to publish only a high-level summary.

— Reviewing University-wide admissions procedures. Harvard could implement robust performance management systems for admissions staff across all schools, evaluating and addressing potential biases, including political or religious biases.

EVENTS:

— San Francisco, CA — March 25 at 6 p.m. PT: To mark the 25th anniversary of the Radcliffe Institute, "Radcliffe on the Road: A Quarter Century of Interdisciplinary Exploration" will include Dean Tomiko Brown-Nagin and lightning talks on research. Register here.

— Virtual — March 27 from 2:30-3 p.m. ET: Harvard Graduate School of Education's Education Now series will host "Nurturing Democratic Engagement in the Classroom" about how to help K-12 & higher education students "become informed and motivated citizens in our society, particularly in polarized times." University Professor Danielle Allen (PhD '01) will speak, moderated by HGSE professor Julie Reuben (AM '00). Register here.

— Virtual — March 27 from 5-6 p.m. ET: Harvard Dean of Undergraduate Education Amanda Claybaugh (PhD '01) and Dean of Students Thomas Dunne will host a conversation with College alumni on campus life today, including intellectual vitality, academic freedom, and civil discourse. Register here.

FYIs:

Harvard Expands Financial Aid To Cover Full Tuition for Families Earning Up to $200K

— Beginning this fall, Harvard College will fully cover tuition for students from families earning up to $200,000 annually. For families earning under $100,000, Harvard will cover the entire cost of attendance, including tuition, room, board, and fees.

— Previously, Harvard provided full support for families earning under $85,000, and tuition coverage extended up to $150,000. The expansion is expected to broaden access: about 86% of U.S. families will now be eligible for some form of aid.

HDS Grad Kestenbaum Moves to Amend Antisemitism Complaint Against Harvard

— Shabbos Kestenbaum (MTS '24), lead plaintiff in the January 2024 Title VI lawsuits filed by Students Against Antisemitism (SAA), has asked a federal judge to allow an amended complaint against Harvard. While Harvard largely settled with SAA earlier this year, Kestenbaum declined to join the settlement, opting to continue litigation with new legal counsel.

— The proposed amended complaint would not add any additional legal theories or arguments, and would remove certain allegations originally made by the SAA against Harvard. According to court documents, settlement discussions continued through early March but were ultimately deemed "futile" by plaintiffs' attorneys.

— In a January post, Kestenbaum wrote that he hopes to depose senior university officials, including former President Claudine Gay and current President Alan Garber—something possible only if the case proceeds to discovery.

Harvard Grad Union and Administration Still at Odds Over Bargaining Rules

— With their current contract set to expire in June, the Harvard Graduate Students Union (HGSU) and the University are still working to agree on basic ground rules for upcoming contract negotiations, including session logistics, meeting schedules, and whether observers will be allowed at the table ("open bargaining").

— Union organizers say delays in final ground rules are slowing down the bargaining process, while University representatives have expressed concerns about maintaining a productive environment for discussions.

Professors Pinker and Tribe Endorse Allison Pillinger Choi for HAA Elected Director

— Harvard professors Steven Pinker and Laurence Tribe have each endorsed Allison Pillinger Choi (AB '06) for election to the Harvard Alumni Association (HAA) Board of Directors.

— In her candidate statement, Choi affirms her commitment to greater viewpoint diversity in the alumni community and support for "truth-seeking" ideas across the political spectrum, citing her background in finance and civic engagement as preparation for the role as Director.

— Former Harvard Black Alumni Society president Monica Clark (AB '06) has also endorsed Choi.

Department of Education Opens Title VI Investigations Into 45 Universities Over Alleged Race-Based Exclusion

— The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights has opened Title VI investigations into 45 universities for allegedly engaging in race-exclusionary practices in graduate programs.

— Institutions named in the announcement include MIT, the University of Chicago, Vanderbilt, Yale, Cornell, and Duke. The announcement notes that the investigations largely center on university partnerships with The Ph.D. Project, an initiative that provides support for prospective doctoral students but limits participation based on race.

Coalition for a Diverse Harvard Endorses Five Overseer Candidates

— Alumni group the Coalition for a Diverse Harvard has endorsed five Overseer candidates and six HAA Elected Director candidates in this spring's election.

— The Coalition said it made its endorsements based on "each candidate's experience advancing racial justice and equity." The Coalition has promoted calls for Harvard to divest from Israel.

— Voting in the election for Overseer and HAA Elected Director runs from April 1 to May 20.

More News at Harvard:

— The Crimson: "Harvard Faces Calls To Disband PSC for Violating New Antisemitism Policies"

— The Crimson: "Dozens of Jewish Harvard Faculty Sign Statement Denouncing Arrest of Mahmoud Khalil"

— Combined Jewish Philanthropies: "CJP's 2025 Superstars: Jordy Hershman, CJP's Center for Combating Antisemitism (CCA)" — on Harvard Advanced Leadership Initiative Fellow Jordan Hershman's efforts to combat campus antisemitism

— The Editors: "The Antisemitism Crisis on Campus" — podcast episode with HJAA board member Clarence Schwab (MBA '96) and host Ira Stoll (AB '94)

More News Beyond Harvard:

— New York Times: "University of California Will Stop Requiring Diversity Statements in Hiring"

— The Daily Princetonian: "Princeton freezes most faculty and staff hiring in response to political uncertainty"

— The Daily Pennsylvanian: "Wharton DEI concentration, major renamed to 'Leading Across Differences'"

— The New York Review: "A Statement from Constitutional Law Scholars on Columbia"

— Wall Street Journal: "Columbia Learns a Hard Lesson" — editorial by WSJ Editorial Board

— New York Times: "The End of the University as We Know It" — op-ed by Yale senior lecturer Megan O'Rourke

— Washington Post: "Abandoning DEI won't fix academia's left-leaning problem" — op-ed by Megan McArdle

This is a work-in-progress newsletter, so we appreciate any and all feedback & if you have links / blurbs for next week's edition, please let us know!
The 1636 Forum Team