Trump's week in review: From feuding with Musk to a new travel ban
3. Department of Education revokes Columbia University’s accreditation
In a statement published Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Education announced that it had informed the Middle States Commission on Higher Education that one of its member institutions, Columbia University, fails to meet the standards for accreditation. The Department noted that the commission’s requirements for accreditation require a “candidate or accredited institution” to possess or demonstrate “compliance with all applicable government laws and regulations” and concluded that Columbia fails to meet that criteria.
The federal government agency’s move comes nearly two weeks after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Civil Rights determined that “Columbia University acted with deliberate indifference towards the harassment of Jewish Students, thereby violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.”
“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,” said Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. “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.”
McMahon insisted that “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,” adding, “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.”
According to the Department of Education, “Accreditors are required to notify any member institution about a federal noncompliance finding and establish a plan to come into compliance. If a university fails to come into compliance within a specified period, an accreditor must take appropriate action against its member institution.”
Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: ryan.foley@christianpost.com
