Columbia College agrees to ban masks on campus after $400M funding freeze by Donald Trump

Columbia College has agreed to implement a masks ban and develop campus police powers following calls for from the Trump administration, which had frozen $400 million in federal funding to the establishment.

“Freedom of expression is what permits the rigorous debate and free inquiry on which our tutorial mission relies upon,” Columbia mentioned.

“However demonstrations and different protest actions that happen inside tutorial buildings and locations the place tutorial actions happen current a direct obstacle to sustaining our core tutorial mission,” it added.

The transfer has drawn consideration and debate inside tutorial circles concerning the steadiness between authorities affect and tutorial freedom.

In her letter, interim president Katrina Armstrong mentioned that the college would instantly appoint a senior vice provost to conduct an intensive overview of its regional research applications, “beginning instantly with the Center East.”

The college added that it’s going to revamp its long-standing disciplinary course of and bar protests inside tutorial buildings.

“College students won’t be permitted to put on face masks on campus for the needs of concealing one’s identification. An exception can be made for folks carrying them for well being causes,” the college mentioned.

Columbia College seeks to reinstate funding

The college is taking steps to reinstate its federal funding after the White Home ordered cuts earlier this month, citing antisemitism complaints from Jewish college students.

President Donald Trump’s calls for adopted a collection of pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia’s New York Metropolis campus, which have escalated for the reason that October 7, 2023, Hamas assault on Israel.

To implement these modifications, a 36-member inner safety pressure will probably be authorised to take away or arrest people from campus. The masks ban will embrace exceptions for spiritual and well being causes, however anybody taking part in protests whereas carrying a masks will probably be required to current their college identification when requested.

To foster “mental variety,” the college will appoint new school to its Institute for Israel and Jewish Research, undertake a brand new definition of antisemitism, and improve programming at its Tel Aviv Middle, a analysis hub in Israel.

The White Home has labeled the student-led protests antisemitic, although this characterisation has been rejected by many members within the demonstrations.

The White Home has known as the student-led protests as antisemitic, a declare that has been rejected by lots of these concerned within the demonstrations.

With Bloomberg, AP inputs