*

Trump administration demanded university make changes

*

Canceled $400 million in federal funding, citing

antisemitism on

campus

*

Civil rights groups say move infringes on free speech

By Jonathan Allen

NEW YORK, March 24 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald

Trump's administration on Monday described Columbia University's

response to government demands to tighten rules on campus

protests as a "promising first step" towards regaining federal

grants and contracts.

Earlier this month, the Trump administration canceled grants and

contracts awarded to Columbia worth about $400 million, saying

pro-Palestinian student protests on campus had caused an

atmosphere of antisemitic harassment.

It followed up on March 20 with an extraordinary letter to

Columbia containing nine demands regarding the private New York

university's rules around protests and discipline.

Columbia responded on Friday, saying it was in agreement

with at least some of the demands, and that some of the demanded

changes had been underway long before the government's

letter.

In one of the actions outlined by Columbia on Friday, it

said it was creating a new vice provost role to focus on

programs in "regional studies," beginning with a review of

Middle East-focused programs at departments across the

university, as well as its international hubs in Tel Aviv and

Amman.

The creation of the new role followed the Trump

administration's demand that Columbia administration put one

particular department, Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African

Studies, under academic receivership. Receivership generally

entails taking control away from the faculty.

Columbia also said it was changing its disciplinary process

and seeking to expand intellectual diversity in its faculty

hires, and that it had previously begun recruiting 36 officers

with arrest powers to help with campus security.

"Columbia's announcement is a positive first step in the

university maintaining a financial relationship with the United

States government," said a joint statement on Monday from the

U.S. General Services Administration and the departments of

education and health.

"Columbia is demonstrating appropriate cooperation with

the Trump Administration's requirements, and we look forward to

a lasting resolution," U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon

said.

McMahon said she had been in communication with Katrina

Armstrong, Columbia's interim president, in recent weeks and

praised Armstrong's "leadership and commitment to advance truly

meaningful reforms on campus."

Some students and faculty said they were shocked at what

they viewed as the university's acquiescence, while legal and

civil rights groups say the Trump administration is violating

constitutional free speech and due-process rights with its

actions.

A spokesperson for Columbia did not respond to questions

about its responses to the government demands.

Columbia's board of trustees said in a joint statement

after the university's Friday response that it must engage with

"the agencies that serve as our regulators on issues that matter

both to them and to us," and that it has been focused on

combating bias and harassment, including antisemitism.

"Where this work aligns with recommendations of others, we

believe constructive dialogue makes sense," the trustees'

statement said.

Although Columbia has drawn Trump's sharpest ire, the

Department of Education has warned 60 other colleges and

universities around the country that they are also being

investigated for allegedly allowing antisemitism.

The Trump administration has said Columbia can enter

"formal negotiations" to continue to receiving federal funding

if it first meets the demands laid out in the March 20 letter.

Monday's statement said Columbia's steps so far would have

an "immediate effect" on combating antisemitism but the

statement did not say if negotiations with Columbia could now

begin.