When Katherine Franke, a retired Columbia University law professor, posted on Instagram that the school might soon fall under “formal oversight by Trump,” her words didn’t just ripple—they roared.
“This, if true, will signal the death of Columbia as we knew it—a premier teaching and research institution,” she wrote, her caption a flare shot into the night sky of social media.
By morning, the post was everywhere: shared, screenshotted, debated. Students swapped stunned texts; alumni raised eyebrows; strangers online piled on with takes.
For a campus already bruised by protests and funding fights, Franke’s warning felt like a spark near dry grass—a signal that one of America’s elite universities might be at a breaking point.
Franke’s not just any professor. As the James L. Dohr Professor of Law, she’s spent over two decades at Columbia shaping minds and challenging systems. Her work—digging into the intersections of law, gender, sexuality, and race—has earned her a reputation as a scholar who doesn’t flinch. She founded the Center for Gender & Sexuality Law and led projects like the Law, Rights, and Religion Project, blending academic rigor with real-world impact. Her voice carries weight because she’s been in the trenches, from defending marginalized communities to researching Columbia’s own ties to historical injustices like slavery. When she speaks, people listen—not just because of her title, but because her career screams conviction.
The fire behind Franke’s post? Money and power. Last month, the Trump administration yanked $400 million in federal grants from Columbia, part of a broader squeeze on Ivy League schools. The price to get it back: bend to demands like scrapping diversity and inclusion programs, banning transgender women from women’s sports, and cracking down on what Trump calls “rampant antisemitism.” These aren’t abstract policies—they’re a direct hit to how Columbia operates, from its classrooms to its athletic fields. The demands echo last year’s Gaza solidarity encampments, when students pushed the university to cut ties with Israel, sparking clashes that left campus raw. Now, with funding on the line, Columbia’s caught in a vise: resist and starve, or comply and change. Franke’s warning ring across the quads, where students buzz about principles sold out and faculty brace for battles over academic soul.
Final Notes
Columbia’s no pauper. Its endowment sits at a cool $13 billion—a fortress of wealth that dwarfs the $400 million in grants Trump’s holding hostage. That kind of money buys labs, libraries, and global clout.
The university stands at a fork: dig in for a fight or reshape itself to appease power.
Key Facts
- In March 2025, the Trump administration withdrew approximately $400 million in federal funding from Columbia University, citing the university’s failure to address harassment of Jewish students and other policy concerns.
- In response, Columbia University agreed to a series of demands from the Trump administration to begin negotiations for the restoration of these funds.
- The university’s concessions included:
- Overhauling protest regulations, including a ban on masks during demonstrations.
- Expanding campus “security”, with new personnel granted arrest authority.
- Placing the Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies department under new oversight, with a new senior vice provost appointed to supervise it.
- Committing to “institutional neutrality and reviewing admissions processes for fairness”.
- These actions were communicated in a letter from Columbia’s interim president and were widely interpreted as a significant capitulation to federal demands.
- The move was seen as setting a precedent for other universities, many of which are also under federal scrutiny.
Ongoing Developments
- As of April 2025, Columbia’s leadership has signaled a more assertive stance, stating it will not accept any deal that undermines the university’s independence or autonomy, even as negotiations with the Trump administration continue.
- The situation remains fluid, with Columbia and other universities navigating the balance between federal requirements and institutional values.
Summary Table
| Event/Action | Date | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Federal funds stripped | March 2025 | $400 million in grants withdrawn by Trump administration |
| Columbia agrees to demands | March 21, 2025 | University announces changes to protest, security, and academic oversight |
| Public and academic reaction | March 2025 | Seen as a capitulation; concerns about precedent and academic freedom |
| Columbia signals resistance | April 15, 2025 | Acting president vows not to accept any deal that erodes university autonomy. Some former and current faculty see it as performative. |
References
Franke, K., 2025. Instagram post on Columbia University oversight. 15 April. Available at: https://www.instagram.com/p/DIekrFHvCM8/ [Accessed 15 April 2025].
Lavietes, M., 2025. Columbia concedes to Trump administration demands. NBC News, 21 March. Available at: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/columbia-university-trump-demands-funding-rcna197261 [Accessed 15 April 2025].
Middle East Eye, 2025a. Columbia University professor laments potential Trump oversight. Middle East Eye, 15 April. Available at: https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/columbia-university-professor-laments-potential-trump-oversight [Accessed 15 April 2025].
Middle East Eye, 2025b. Instagram video post on Columbia University oversight. 15 April. Available at: https://www.tiktok.com/@middleeasteye/video/7493548977309240598 [Accessed 15 April 2025].
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