Columbia Violated Jewish Students’ Civil Rights, Trump Administration Finds

Columbia University violated civil rights law by “acting with deliberate indifference” toward harassment against Jewish students, the Health and Human Services Department said Thursday night, the Trump administration’s latest accusation of antisemitism against the school.

No new action against Columbia, one of the nation’s most prominent universities, was included in Thursday’s finding. In March, federal agencies suspended more than $400 million in grants and contracts for the university. Columbia said at the time that it would make changes to its campus protest and security policies as well as to its Middle Eastern studies department to comply with the Trump administration’s demands.

“We understand this finding is part of our ongoing discussions with the government. Columbia is deeply committed to combating antisemitism and all forms of harassment and discrimination on our campus,” a spokesman for Columbia said in a statement, adding that the school would continue to work with the government to address those issues.

The Trump administration has also targeted other universities, including Harvard, which has refused to comply with its demands.

Jonah E. Bromwich contributed reporting.