Trump administration warns local colleges: 'Protect Jewish students' or lose your funds

Topline:

What happened? On Friday, March 7, various federal agencies pulled $400 million in total funding from Columbia University, saying the school failed to “fulfill their civil rights responsibilities to protect Jewish students from harassment.”

On Monday, the Administration published a list of other higher education institutions it says have fallen short in combating antisemitism, including several Southern California schools that experienced campus protests related to Israel’s war effort in Gaza. The list is based on schools that had complaints made against them alleging antisemitic harassment and discrimination.

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Why it matters: The administration warned of "potential enforcement actions if they do not fulfill their obligations ... to protect Jewish students on campus, including uninterrupted access to campus facilities and educational opportunities." Universities rely on millions of federal dollars for research, and a loss of that money could mean job losses and a freeze on important studies.

The local colleges under investigation: 

• Chapman University
• Pomona College
• Santa Monica College
• UC Santa Barbara
• USC

Didn’t the administration call out UCLA too? On March 5, the U.S. Department of Justice announced an investigation into University of California campuses to “assess whether UC has engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination ... by allowing an Antisemitic hostile work environment to exist on its campuses.” But UCLA was not on the list released this week.

On Monday, UCLA committed to carrying out the recommendations of a previously established Task Force to Combat Antisemitism and Anti-Israeli Bias. Those proposals include an increase in employee training and streamlining of the complaint process for antisemitic incidents.

What's next: The schools have previously announced efforts to address antisemitism. In a statement to LAist, a Santa Monica College spokesperson noted that no federal decisions have been made about legal violations at the school, and that the college "remains committed to upholding a culture of inclusivity, where open dialogue and respectful exchange of ideas can take place." It’s unclear what options might be open to schools if funds are canceled.

Senior editor Ross Brenneman contributed to this story.