Last Friday, the Trump administration announced a $400 million funding cut to Columbia University. The decision was made due to the university's failure to comply with laws protecting Jewish students.
The law allows the federal government to reduce funding to universities, but this marks the first time an administration has exercised this provision.
Columbia University exemplifies the decay spreading through American academia. Since October 7, the university has been a hotbed of antisemitic and anti-Israel activity, posing a continuous and real threat to Jewish and Israeli students and faculty.
The deterioration of institutions like Columbia began decades ago. For years, we have seen terrorist sympathizers invited to lecture and teach. Columbia even hosted Iran's president. University administrations are weak, dominated by radical faculty members who recruit more like-minded radicals and indoctrinate students with a modern form of communism, one that fosters hatred toward the US, Israel, and Jews.
Today's universities operate as financial entities, prioritizing revenue above all else. Columbia University alone enrolls more than 20,000 international students, generating over $1.5 billion in annual revenue. It is easy to see why the University avoids addressing the behavior of these students.
Hundreds of millions from Qatar
Between 2014 and 2019, Columbia University received $295 million in donations from Qatar, along with additional funds from other non-democratic nations. Meanwhile, the university receives $5 billion in grants from the US government. The administration also has other tools at its disposal, such as imposing fines or revoking the university's tax-exempt status. However, the numbers do not tell the full story, any university that loses government support will quickly lose its status, its top researchers, and its students.
This "small" cut is merely a warning shot, signaling to all universities. The task force has already launched investigations into other leading institutions, and further economic measures - even criminal indictments - are expected. On Sunday, a deportation order was issued against the leader of the Columbia riots, the first of many to be expelled.
University leaders and their boards of trustees have no choice but to address the institutionalized antisemitism that has permeated every corner of their campuses.
At first, they will likely attempt to create the illusion of taking action with superficial measures. I am not sure this approach will work this time. Without a painful intervention, including the closure of departments and the dismissal of radical faculty members, nothing will change.
Israeli universities could also be affected by cuts to joint projects with American researchers. Although most external research funding in Israel comes from Europe rather than the US, university presidents should be prepared to respond.
For decades, Israelis and Jews have been facing a silent war led by Qatar, Iran, Russia, China, and progressive donors in the US (such as George Soros). Israel has yet to devote the necessary attention and resources to this battle. The time has come to establish a dedicated body to fight it, with authority, funding, and a clear mission. This is a matter of survival.
Yossie Hollander is an entrepreneur and philanthropist who has been fighting antisemitism for many years.
