Columbia University has taken disciplinary action against students who were involved in on-campus demonstrations, with both suspension and expulsion being the outcomes.
Columbia University has taken disciplinary action against more than 70 students involved in pro-Palestinian protests and encampments at Butler Library, resulting in expulsions, suspensions, and degree revocations[1][2]. The University Judiciary Board (UJB) issued these penalties in response to the students' occupation and protest activities.
The exact lengths of suspensions have not been specified, but the sanctions range from suspensions to full expulsions and even revocation of degrees, suggesting a spectrum of severity based on individual cases[1]. The university's judicial board has also imposed probation and degree revocations as part of the disciplinary action[2].
Criticism has been raised about the severity of the punishments, with a student activist group claiming that the disciplinary action exceeds sentencing precedent for prior protests[2]. However, Columbia University has not provided a public response or justification for the harshness or precedent of the punishments in the available sources[1][2].
In a separate development, Columbia University is negotiating with the Trump administration to restore $400 million in federal funding that was withheld due to the university's handling of student protests against the war in Gaza[3]. The university has already laid off nearly 180 staffers and scaled back research as a result of the funding loss[3].
As part of the negotiations, Columbia has agreed to overhaul its student disciplinary process and adopt a new definition of antisemitism[3]. The details of the negotiation process and the new definition of antisemitism have not been disclosed in the available sources[3].
Suspended students may be required to submit apologies to return to campus[2]. It remains to be seen how the ongoing negotiations between Columbia University and the Trump administration will unfold and whether the students who have been disciplined will be reinstated.
Sources: [1] https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/01/us/columbia-university-protests-sanctions.html [2] https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/02/us/columbia-university-protests-sanctions-trump.html [3] https://www.wsj.com/articles/columbia-university-negotiates-to-restore-400-million-in-federal-funding-11622942267
- The world has taken notice of the severe disciplinary action meted out by Columbia University against over 70 students involved in pro-Palestinian protests, which includes expulsions, suspensions, and degree revocations.
- In addition to the ongoing negotiations with the Trump administration regarding the restoration of federal funding, Columbia University is also facing criticism for the severity of its penalties, as some claim they exceed sentencing precedent for prior protests.
- The university has agreed to adopt a new definition of antisemitism as part of the negotiations with the Trump administration, but the details of this definition and the negotiation process remain unknown to the public.
