As Columbia University students return from spring break, new policies could reshape life on campus

Columbia University students are stepping into a new campus environment Monday after their university announced sweeping policy changes while they were away on spring break, seemingly bowing to the Trump administration’s demands over the release of $400 million in federal funding to the school.

Columbia University students are stepping into a new campus environment Monday after their university announced sweeping policy changes while they were away on spring break, seemingly bowing to the Trump administration’s demands over the release of $400 million in federal funding to the school. The university on Friday announced several changes demanded by the Trump administration to overhaul its disciplinary policies, sharply restrict protests, ban masks, sanction student groups in violation, immediately review its Middle East studies programs and admissions. While Columbia is caught in the crosshairs of the Trump administration zeroing in on campus protests and cracking down on immigration, many questions remain about how the announced changes will take shape as students return with less than two months left in the school year and tensions once again flaring in Gaza. Columbia was the first college to see its funding slashed as part of President Donald Trump’s threats to cut federal money to colleges accused of tolerating antisemitism amid the Israel-Hamas war that began in October 2023. The university has repeatedly stated it will not tolerate antisemitism. The last academic year saw widespread campus unrest, including pro-Palestinian protests and encampments, counterprotests, building takeovers, arrests and scaled-back graduation ceremonies as Columbia became the epicenter of the nationwide demonstrations.