The negotiations between Columbia University and the protesters involved a pledge from the occupying students to expel individuals not affiliated with the university. The potential outcomes of the standoff include reaching a deal for protesters to leave, having the NYPD clear out the encampment if no agreement is reached, or allowing the encampment to stay with NYPD approval. The last option would present a challenge for the NYPD and Mayor Eric Adams due to restrictions on acting without the university's approval except in response to active crime. The spread of protests to campuses in other parts of the country, such as Texas, poses difficulties in measuring the speed of this movement across schools in America.