It is being alleged that President Donald Trump is seeking the "death sentence" for Columbia University. 

This comes, according to The Hill, after the Trump administration recently called for Columbia to lose its accreditation, which would have dire consequences for the university.

First, we'll look at the background of the situation.

Then, we'll look at why this could be a "death sentence" for the university.

Background

Just recently, Fox News reported that the "U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights sent a notice to the accrediting body that audits Columbia University . . . notifying it that the Ivy League school is currently failing to meet its standards for accreditation."

The accrediting body is the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE).

Importantly, Fox notes, "Only institutions accredited by Department of Education-recognized accreditors are eligible to participate in Title IV federal financial aid programs, such as Pell Grants and federal work-study or student loan programs."

Trump, of course, has been trying to crack down on universities like Columbia for, in his view, not doing enough to clamp down on the rampant antisemitism that has been seen on its campus and others.

Department of Education Secretary Linda McMahon has put out a statement, saying:

Accreditors have an enormous public responsibility as gatekeepers of federal student aid. They determine which institutions are eligible for federal student loans and Pell Grants. Just as the Department of Education has an obligation to uphold federal antidiscrimination law, university accreditors have an obligation to ensure member institutions abide by their standards. We look forward to the Commission keeping the Department fully informed of actions taken to ensure Columbia’s compliance with accreditation standards, including compliance with federal civil rights laws.

A "death sentence"

Jon Fansmith, the senior vice president of government relations and national engagement at the American Council on Education, explained to The Hill why this could be the "death sentence" for Columbia.

He said:

It’s often called, colloquially, in higher education, a death sentence, because very few institutions could continue to enroll students, especially lower- and middle-income students, without having those students have the ability to borrow or get grants to go to those schools.

The Hill goes on to note, "Columbia costs $71,000 a year for tuition and fees without financial aid, and that doesn’t include room and board. The school notes that 24 percent of its first-year students have Pell Grants. "

"Without access to aid, Columbia would be inaccessible to most students in the country," it adds.

We'll have to see how this plays out.