Columbia University accused of violating federal laws and failing to meet standards
NEW YORK (PIX11) – Columbia University violates federal antidiscrimination laws and fails to meet the standards for accreditation, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights announced on Wednesday.
The OCR notified the agency accrediting degree-granting institutions, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
In February 2025, the OCR initiated an investigation into whether Columbia University discriminated against or tolerated violence against students and faculty based on their Jewish ancestry, in violation of Title VI.
In May, an investigation by the OCR concluded that Columbia University had acted with ‘indifference’ towards the harassment of Jewish students, according to the DOE.
“After Hamas’ October 7, 2023, terror attack on Israel, Columbia University’s leadership acted with deliberate indifference towards the harassment of Jewish students on its campus. This is not only immoral, but also unlawful. Accreditors have an enormous public responsibility as gatekeepers of federal student aid. They determine which institutions are eligible for federal student loans and Pell Grants. Just as the Department of Education has an obligation to uphold federal antidiscrimination law, university accreditors have an obligation to ensure member institutions abide by their standards,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. “We look forward to the Commission keeping the Department fully informed of actions taken to ensure Columbia’s compliance with accreditation standards, including compliance with federal civil rights laws.”
It remains unclear what steps the Middle States Commission on Higher Education will take in the future.
Matthew Euzarraga is a multimedia journalist from El Paso, Texas. He has covered local news and LGBTQIA topics in the New York City Metro area since 2021. He joined the PIX11 Digital team in 2023. You can see more of his work here.