The Trump administration has ordered Columbia University to overhaul the leadership of its Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies Department, a move widely seen as a direct challenge to academic freedom. The university was told the department must be placed under “academic receivership” for at least five years a condition tied to federal funding after $400 million was already cut over allegations of antisemitism.
The directive has sparked outrage across academia, with critics calling it an unprecedented federal intervention. “It is chilling to see the government try to control universities in this way,” said Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of the Berkeley School of Law.
Trump has long threatened to withhold funding from universities he views as opposing his agenda. His administration recently launched investigations into 52 institutions as part of a crackdown on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. Columbia, in particular, has been under intense scrutiny since pro-Palestinian protests erupted on its campus last year.
Alongside the demand for receivership, the administration has ordered Columbia to implement new policies, including a ban on masks meant to conceal identities, changes to student discipline procedures, and a revision of its admissions process.
Columbia University has said it is reviewing the letter. Meanwhile, higher education leaders warn that the move could set a dangerous precedent for government interference in academic institutions nationwide.
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