Some Jewish students at Columbia took part in pro-Palestinian protests. Other Jewish students have said that rhetoric at protests has crossed into antisemitism and that the administration has been too tolerant of demonstrators who created a hostile environment for people who support Israel.

The university, the administration’s first big target in a campaign to root out what it called harassment on campus, could lose more than $50 million in funding.

Ten universities are under scrutiny as a new task force has been unleashed to crack down on the unprecedented displays of antisemitism that have plagued U S campuses since Oct 7, 2023

The university has launched a flurry of investigations, led by a new disciplinary committee—the Office of Institutional Equity—to identify Columbia students who have expressed criticism of Israel, according to records shared with The Associated Press.

Columbia University has become the first target in President Donald Trump’s campaign to cut federal money to colleges accused of tolerating antisemitism amid the Israel-Hamas war.