Columbia disciplines 70 students for protest as school pleads with Trump for funding

More than 70 students are being disciplined for their participation in a pro-Palestinian protest at Columbia’s Butler Library in May, the university announced Tuesday as it continues to negotiate a deal with the Trump administration over frozen research funds.

The disciplinary actions come as the university is in talks with the federal government on an agreement to release federal research funding, which university officials have said totals about $1 billion in frozen grants, up from the $400 million federal officials announced they were freezing in February.

In a statement the university said “ to create a thriving academic community” there had to be a culture of mutual respect and violations of the university’s policies would result in consequences

Columbia officials said the punishments for the protest at Butler Library include probation, suspensions, expulsions and degree revocations. More than two-thirds of the students disciplined were either suspended or expelled, officials said

The university had previously placed the students in interim suspension pending investigation.

A group called Columbia for Palestine said in a statement that “students remain committed to ending U.S.- and Columbia-backed Israeli genocide” and accused Columbia of “active collusion” with the Trump administration.

Last week, Columbia's acting President Claire Shipman published an update on “work toward an agreement” with the federal government, including a series of “additional commitments to combatting antisemitism.”

Those steps include the adoption of a controversial definition of antisemitism that some critics say conflates criticism of Israel with discrimination against Jews.

They also include partnerships with multiple Jewish and pro-Israel groups, and an affirmation that the university has “zero tolerance for discrimination and harassment based on protected traits, including Jewish and Israeli identity.”

Columbia officials also announced Tuesday that it had sent out disciplinary letters to students who participated in an encampment over alumni weekend in April 2024.

After the Trump administration's demands to abolish the University Judicial Board responsible for disciplinary action, Shipman announced changes to the disciplinary process that involved moving the board under the purview of the president’s office and removing student board members.