Education Department says Columbia fails to meet accreditation standards
The Middle States Commission on Higher Education has not indicated that Columbia's accreditation status, which has been in place since 1921, is in jeopardy.
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Education sent a letter June 4 urging Columbia University's accreditor to rescind its century-old accreditation status, which the Ivy League school relies on to receive federal financial aid funding.
The announcement comes as President Donald Trump's administration continues to intensify its pressure on selective universities over accusations of rampant antisemitism and liberal bias.
The agency notified Columbia's accreditor, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, that the Education Department's Office for Civil Rights had found the school to be "in violation of federal antidiscrimination laws," according to a press release. The university, therefore, "fails to meet the standards for accreditation," the Education Department said.
There is no indication that Middle States intends to rescind Columbia's accreditation, which was granted in 1921. Accreditors are nonpartisan, independent organizations recognized by the Education Department to provide oversight of higher education institutions across the United States.
The letter is the latest swipe from President Donald Trump's administration at an Ivy League school.
Yet unlike Harvard University, Columbia agreed in March to reform elements of its teaching, hiring and admissions practices in response to a series of demands by the federal government. Still, the Trump administration has not restored $400 million in funding that it paused, halting research and prompting layoffs at the university.
In a statement on April 14, Columbia's recently installed acting president, Claire Shipman, said that although the university would "seek to continue constructive dialogue with the government," it would "reject any agreement that would require us to relinquish our independence and autonomy as an educational institution."
Rawan Abbasi, a spokesperson for Middle States, confirmed that the accreditor received the Trump administration's letter about Columbia. Abbasi declined to comment further.
In a statement to Paste BN, Virginia Lam Abrams, a Columbia spokesperson, said the university was aware of the letter.
“Columbia is deeply committed to combating antisemitism on our campus,” Abrams said. “We take this issue seriously and are continuing to work with the federal government to address it."
Zachary Schermele is an education reporter for Paste BN. You can reach him by email at zschermele@usatoday.com. Follow him on X at @ZachSchermele and Bluesky at @zachschermele.bsky.social.