Wed May 07 08:40:00 UTC 2025: **Columbia University Announces Nearly 180 Layoffs Amidst Federal Funding Cuts**
**New York, NY –** Columbia University announced Tuesday the layoff of nearly 180 employees whose salaries were funded by federal research grants. The cuts, which follow a $400 million reduction in funding by the Trump administration’s antisemitism task force, are impacting the university’s research capabilities and financial stability.
Acting President Claire Shipman attributed the layoffs to intense financial strain and stated the university is “running lighter footprints of research infrastructure” in affected areas. The university maintains it is negotiating with the federal government for the reinstatement of the grants and is actively seeking alternative funding sources.
The $400 million funding cut, stemming from allegations of insufficient protection of Jewish students from harassment, resulted in the significant reduction or elimination of over 300 multiyear research grants, many in medical research. Columbia received approximately $1.3 billion in federal research funds in 2023, with a substantial portion from the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Health and Human Services.
While the university temporarily covered the salaries of some affected researchers, Tuesday’s announcement marks the end of that support. Scientists are now eligible to apply for limited-time grants to complete ongoing research and support graduate students at risk of layoff.
The impact on researchers is significant. Dr. Tamara Sussman, a psychiatry researcher whose grant examining the effects of structural racism on substance use was canceled, noted the detrimental effect on early-career researchers and the overall progress of scientific research. The layoff of her research assistant exemplifies the broader consequences of these funding cuts. The university is actively working to mitigate the consequences and secure alternative funding.
First Piper 