Columbia’s president found herself facing increased scrutiny as a university oversight committee convened to address the fallout from her recent actions aimed at quelling protests that have rocked the Ivy League institution and extended nationally and internationally.
President Nemat Minouche Shafik came under fire from various quarters, including students, faculty, and external observers, following her decision two weeks ago to involve the New York police in dismantling a protest encampment set up by demonstrators protesting Israel’s conflict with Hamas in Gaza. Despite the police intervention, which resulted in over 100 arrests and the removal of the encampment, protesters swiftly reestablished their presence on the campus, limiting the university’s options for managing the situation.
Subsequently, protests akin to the one at Columbia erupted at universities across the United States, from California to Boston, with students demanding divestment from companies linked to Israel’s military activities. Similar demonstrations also emerged overseas, exemplified by clashes outside Paris’ prestigious Sciences Po university between pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian protesters.
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At Columbia, the university senate convened for a hearing on Friday afternoon to deliberate on a resolution regarding the president’s handling of the situation, which could result in various degrees of official reprimand.
The broader context of protests on university campuses has drawn attention from the highest levels of government, with the White House advocating for free speech while condemning what it terms “antisemitic protests.” Meanwhile, some members of Congress, particularly Republicans, have criticized university administrators for their perceived leniency toward protesters and alleged harassment of Jewish students.
Efforts to resolve the protests through negotiation have thus far proved unsuccessful for Columbia administrators, despite setting multiple deadlines for reaching an agreement. The president’s office conveyed that talks are ongoing, acknowledging differing demands from both sides and indicating a commitment to a formal process.
Elsewhere, the president of the University of Texas at Austin, Jay Hartzell, faced a similar backlash from faculty following police intervention to disperse a pro-Palestinian protest. This incident reflects a broader pattern of clashes between demonstrators and authorities summoned by university leaders, who cite concerns about campus safety and allegations of antisemitism and harassment targeting Jewish students.
