Columbia University cuts 180 staffers funded by federal grants revoked by Trump administration
Columbia University announced Tuesday that it laid off 180 staff members working on federal grants impacted by the Trump administration's decision to revoke the university's funding.
Columbia University announced Tuesday that it laid off 180 staff members working on federal grants impacted by the Trump administration's decision to revoke the university's funding.
The administration cut $400 million in federal funding from Columbia in March, accusing it of "inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students." It then issued a list of demands to the university, which it mostly acceded to, to start negotiations on restoring the funding.
The demands included banning students from wearing masks at protests, hiring campus security officers who can arrest students, and appointing a new senior vice provost to oversee the department of Middle East, South Asian, and African Studies.
The move to cut over 100 staff members was announced in a Tuesday letter from top Columbia officials, including Acting President Claire Shipman and Provost Angela V. Olinto. In the letter, the officials said the university is "engaged in a two-pronged effort related to grants terminated by the federal government," which includes restoring partnerships with government agencies and adjusting or reducing spending in the meantime.
"Columbia’s leadership continues discussions with the federal government in support of resuming activity on these research awards and additional other awards that have remained active, but unpaid," the letter read. "We are working on and planning for every eventuality, but the strain in the meantime, financially and on our research mission, is intense."
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