The government is weighing whether to cancel more than $50 million in federal contracts with Columbia University in the wake of allegations that the university mishandled complaints of harassment against Jewish students during protests against Israels Gaza war.
Columbia, an elite Ivy League school, has been under fire for months since anti-Israel protests erupted on campus and charged anti-Semitism. The controversy went to Congress, where college leaders were grilled about student safety and the school’s handling of discrimination.
The U.S. Health Department, Education Department, General Services Administration, on Monday released a joint statement confirming that the Federal Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism is examining Columbia compliance with civil rights rules. The task force also will review more than $5 billion in federal grant pledges to the university. 
Secretary of Education Linda McMahon denounced the situation, saying, “Americans have observed for over a year as Jewish students have been attacked and intimidated. “Agencies receiving federal money must create safe learning environment for students.”
Columbia University, however, reaffirmed its dedication to fighting anti-Semitism and said it is willing to work with the federal government.
This comes after months of protest, including mass arrests on campus, and the resignation of Columbia’s president Minouche Shafik last August. The Government task force plans to visit Columbia and nine other universities looking into alleged instances of against Semitism.
