WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Education sent a letter June 4 urging Columbia University's accreditor to rescind its century-old accreditation status, which the Ivy League school relies on to receive federal financial aid funding.
The announcement comes as President Donald Trump's administration continues to intensify its pressure on selective universities over accusations of rampant antisemitism and liberal bias.
The agency notified Columbia's accreditor, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, that the Education Department's Office for Civil Rights had found the school to be "in violation of federal antidiscrimination laws," according to a press release. The university, therefore, "fails to meet the standards for accreditation," the Education Department said.
There is no indication that Middle States intends to rescind Columbia's accreditation, which was granted in 1921. Accreditors are nonpartisan, independent organizations recognized by the Education Department to provide oversight of higher education institutions across the United States.
The letter is the latest swipe from President Donald Trump's administration at an Ivy League school.
