Columbia University faces lawsuit and scrutiny over funding

Columbia University is facing scrutiny regarding its financial allocations and its handling of campus activism. A review of tax filings indicates the institution has provided hundreds of thousands of dollars to pro-Israel groups, such as the Israel on Campus Coalition and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s charity arm. While spending on these groups increased following the October 7, 2023, attacks, the university reportedly provided little to no similar funding to pro-Palestinian, Arab, or Muslim groups during the same period. A university spokesperson stated these grants were distributed through a donor-advised fund and did not come from Columbia’s operating funds.

Simultaneously, Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil has filed a civil rights lawsuit against the university in federal court. Khalil alleges that administrators demonstrated “deliberate indifference” toward harassment and doxing directed at him and pro-Palestinian student organizations. The lawsuit further claims the university retaliated against him and failed to correct disinformation regarding his conduct, which Khalil asserts contributed to his detention by immigration agents. Columbia has stated it is committed to protecting its community from discrimination and harassment.