The Trump administration successfully dismissed a lawsuit filed by two unions attempting to halt the withholding of $400 million in federal payments from Columbia University.
The court that dismissed the complaint stated that the groups lacked the legal ability to file the action, as Columbia received the money but was not a participant in the case.
According to Bloomberg, the American Association of University Professors and the American Federation of Teachers filed a lawsuit against the Republican administration after Education Secretary Linda McMahon announced that the administration was withdrawing grants and contracts from the school in response to a series of pro-Palestine protests on the university’s campus.
On Monday, United States District Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil dismissed the complaint seeking an injunction to restore funds but allowed the unions to modify and refile their allegations. Late in the day, the unions filed a notice of appeal.
The decision comes amid a wider confrontation between the Trump administration and higher education organisations. Earlier this month, the Department of Education announced plans to revoke Columbia's accreditation, stating the university no longer fulfils federal standards.
According to Bloomberg, officials found that the school violated anti-discrimination regulations, marking the latest effort by the Trump administration to punish schools for how they handled pro-Palestine protests.
The Judge stated that the unions are "inserting themselves into a quarrel" between the administration and Columbia, which "Columbia wishes to resolve cooperatively," according to Bloomberg.
President Donald Trump and McMahon have previously stated that negotiations with Columbia were progressing well, particularly in comparison to another Ivy League institution, Harvard University, which has sued the administration over its decision to cancel federal funding and revoke its license to admit international students.
