Appeal over Columbia University dismissed, moot

MANHATTAN — The Second Circuit dismissed, as moot, an appeal brought by the American Association of University Professors and the American Federation of Teachers against the Department of Justice and other government officials’ termination of about $400 million in funding for Columbia University, as well as threats of up to $5 billion in grants and contracts, until the university made “comprehensive programmatic and structural changes.” Columbia wasn’t a party to original lawsuit and the lower court dismissed the case for lack of standing. The litigants now say the appeal was rendered moot when Columbia and the government settled over funding and reforms; the appellate court agrees.