bourbiza mohamed
NEW YORK — Columbia College President Dr. Minouche Shafik testified Wednesday earlier than Congress, as a part of ongoing hearings about antisemitism on college campuses.
“Columbia strives to be a group freed from discrimination and hate in all its types, and we condemn the antisemitism that’s so pervasive immediately,” Shafik informed the Home Committee on Schooling and the Workforce.
Allegations of antisemitism at Columbia College
The committee performed a video montage of what it referred to as proof of unchecked antisemitism on the college’s campus.
“At Columbia, and quite a few different colleges, there was a sample of unapproved antisemitic occasions organized and attended by college college students and employees,” Committee Chair Rep. Virginia Foxx mentioned.
In keeping with the Anti-Defamation League, Jewish college students at Columbia have skilled a dramatic improve in antisemitism over the previous six months. In October, the NYPD confirmed a swastika was discovered inside a constructing, and dueling demonstrations over the Israel-Hamas Battle have intensified within the months since.
“I’ve spent most of my time since turning into president making an attempt to deal with this subject,” Shafik mentioned.
Foxx informed Shafik, “The scholars aren’t afraid of your letters.”
“Chairwoman, I guarantee you, the scholars will not be getting letters, as has beforehand been mentioned. Now we have already suspended 15 college students,” Shafik mentioned.
Shafik was grilled by the committee for 5 hours over allegations that Columbia would not shield Jewish college students from antisemitism, which even Columbia professors agree is uncontrolled.
Professor David Schizer heads Columbia’s Antisemitism Job Power, created after the Oct. 7 assaults in Israel, which the NYPD confirms introduced a spike in antisemitic incidents on campus.
“One in every of my college students who wears a kippah was approached within the regulation college foyer by one other pupil who mentioned ‘eff the Jews.’ One other was spat upon at a protest,” Schizer mentioned.
“Antisemitism has no place on our campus and I’m personally dedicated to doing all the things I can to confront it straight,” Shafik mentioned.
Not so mentioned the committee, who blasted what they referred to as Columbia’s lack of accountability, specializing in Columbia Professor Joseph Massad, who praised the Oct. 7 terrorist assault, calling it “superior,” and continues to be an lively college member.
“What really speaks volumes because the ethical compass of Columbia that this rabid antisemite continues to be in your payroll immediately,” Rep. Burgess Owens mentioned.
“I’m appalled by what he mentioned,” Shafik mentioned.
“Any penalties?” Owens requested.
“He has been spoken to,” Shafik mentioned.
“Spoken to? So assist of terrorism is suitable when you’re a Columbia professor?” Owens mentioned.
Shafik says Columbia is making an attempt to steadiness permitting free speech whereas prohibiting hate speech and agrees extra must be accomplished to guard college students.
She additionally says the college has dismissed a number of professors who’ve made antisemitic remarks.
Columbia college students watching intently
Wednesday’s listening to lasted a number of hours, and lots of Columbia college students watched to see how their president dedicated to retaining them protected.
“There is no refuge for Jewish college students and our management has not led and has not made a dedication by way of their actions to essentially observe by way of and ensure that Jewish college students are protected and welcome on campus,” pupil Eden Yadegar mentioned.
Yadegar added she shouldn’t be in search of the president to step down, however mentioned, “I would like the president of Columbia to take the motion that she says she goes to take, and I consider there may be nonetheless hope for her to do this.”
“I’ve met with President Shafik. I do not consider that that is who she is. I wish to consider that. I feel we’re coming to the mark the place she must make clear that herself,” mentioned fellow pupil Noa Fay. “We’re getting right down to the wire right here. Resignation is off the desk for now, however that is to not say it may’t come again up sooner or later.”
“There’s an immense quantity of hostility in the direction of Jews and pro-Israel college students,” pupil David Lederer mentioned. “I get seems. I am genuinely scared within the classroom of repercussions from the professor if I give a pro-Israel, you already know, reply.”
“I really feel indignant that the beliefs of scholars by way of like a socially progressive agenda will not be being listened to,” one pupil mentioned.
In the meantime, different college students are staging an illustration, referred to as the Gaza Solidarity Encampment, with dozens of tents arrange on the varsity’s important garden. They’re calling on the college to divest from sure Israeli-linked corporations, and say the encampment will stay till that occurs.
Protests on campus and the response
In her testimony, Dr. Shafik mentioned the varsity is dedicated to permitting free speech on campus, even designating sure areas for protests, so different college students can keep away from demonstrations and educating is not disrupted. She additionally mentioned the college has taken drastic steps to make sure security for all college students.
“Our actions included assist for college kids, enhanced reporting channels for incidents, hiring extra employees to analyze complaints, growing new insurance policies on demonstrations, holding listening boards to mannequin respectful behaviors, launching instructional applications, and forming a process pressure of our senior leaders to suggest options to antisemitism,” she mentioned.
Columbia suspended two pupil teams, the College students for Justice in Palestine and the Jewish Voice for Peace, final yr after protests over the Oct. 7 assault on Israel and the warfare in Gaza. Faculty officers mentioned the teams violated college insurance policies.
The U.S. Division of Schooling then launched an investigation to see if Columbia, and Cooper Union, violated their authorized obligations beneath Title 6 of the Civil Rights Act to supply college students a faculty atmosphere freed from discrimination based mostly on race, shade or nationwide origin.
“As president of the college, my rapid accountability was to make sure the bodily security and safety of our group. We had been for probably the most half profitable in that respect. Most of our college students, college and employees understood this precedence, welcomed it and had been essential companions in serving to us preserve our campus protected,” Dr. Shafik wrote in an op-ed that was printed Tuesday in The Wall Avenue Journal, titled, “What I Plan to Inform Congress Tomorrow.”
“A extra difficult subject was the battle between the free-speech rights of pro-Palestinian protesters and the affect that these protests had been having on our Jewish college students and their supporters. Some issues that had been mentioned at these protests and on social media had been profoundly unsettling and scary,” her op-ed continued. “Attempting to reconcile the speech rights of 1 a part of our group with the rights of one other a part of our group to reside in a supportive atmosphere or at the very least an atmosphere freed from concern, harassment and discrimination, has been the central problem at our college and on campuses throughout the nation.”
Shafik is the newest college president referred to as to testify about antisemitism on campus. Harvard College’s Claudine Homosexual, College of Pennsylvania’s Liz Magill and Massachusetts Institute of Know-how’s Sally Kornbluth appeared earlier than the committee final December, resulting in Homosexual and Magill’s resignations. New York Metropolis Division of Schooling Commissioner David Banks mentioned final week he has additionally been requested to testify subsequent month.
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