Columbia University Agrees to Pay US $200 Million To Restore Federal Funding

Columbia University has agreed to pay $200 million to resolve allegations it discriminated against Jewish students, in exchange for the restoration of federal grants worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

In addition to the bribe cash settlement, Columbia University will also implement a series of reforms announced earlier this year.

“While Columbia does not admit to wrongdoing with this resolution agreement, the institution’s leaders have recognized, repeatedly, that Jewish students and faculty have experienced painful, unacceptable incidents, and that reform was and is needed,” the university said in a statement announcing that it had reached a deal with the federal government.

In March, several government agencies announced an initial wave of grant cancellations to the university that totaled around $400 million, the Epoch Times reported.

In a statement, acting University President Claire Shipman said the agreement “marks an important step forward after a period of sustained federal scrutiny and institutional uncertainty.”

“The settlement was carefully crafted to protect the values that define us and allow our essential research partnership with the federal government to get back on track. Importantly, it safeguards our independence, a critical condition for academic excellence and scholarly exploration, work that is vital to the public interest,” Shipman stated.