On Friday's “PBS Newshour,” Princeton University president Christopher Eyesgluber agreed to keep federal money in response to Columbia University, saying, “Once you make a concession, it's hard to not make them again.” And while anti-Semitism laws must come into effect, “there are the right and wrong ways to proceed, and the wrong way to do that is to force federal funds into academic freedom as cud sin.”
“Newshour's,” Jeffrey Brown said, “I want to start with the news that we're learning now. That means Columbia University appears to have agreed to a number of requests from the Trump administration.
Eisgulber said, “First of all, I have great respect for Columbia University and a great respect for President Dr. Katrina Armstrong. So I don't want peer institutions to be a second guess position, especially in situations where I've just learned about the agreement. Once you make a concession, I think it's difficult for me to bring to this decision at an American university.”
Later, Brown said, “But what about the main accusations from the administration? Columbia, do you and the other universities have an anti-Semitism issue on campus or do you think it's exaggerated?
Izguber stated, “I am a scholar of religious freedom. I am a Jew myself. I am deeply concerned about anti-Semitism. It is appropriate for the government to worry, and it is something that all of us as presidents of the university must worry about. These laws specify in regulations that the government needs to follow. There is a wrong way to do that.
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