Columbia University President Faces Calls to Resign Amid Campus Tensions
Tensions are rising at Columbia University as pro-Palestinian student protests have sparked controversy on campus. University President Nemat Shafik is facing mounting calls to resign, just four months after the presidents of Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania stepped down over claims that their campuses fostered antisemitism.
Shafik has come under increased scrutiny for her handling of student protests in recent months, following the resignations of her colleagues at Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania. At a congressional hearing, university presidents stumbled on a question regarding whether calls for the genocide of Jewish people violated campus policies.
During the congressional hearing, Shafik distanced herself from her colleagues and emphasized that multiple university students have faced suspension and probation for violating the school’s rules on demonstrations. She unequivocally stated that calls for genocide against Jewish people would be in violation of university policies.
Shafik, aged 61, was appointed as Columbia’s 20th president in January 2023, becoming the first female president of the Ivy League institution in New York City. With a background in economics and academia, Shafik holds a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Oxford and has previously served in leadership roles at the World Bank and other international organizations.
The recent protests at Columbia and other universities were sparked by conflicts in the Middle East, particularly Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s declaration of war on Hamas. While most protests have remained peaceful, concerns have been raised about the use of antisemitic language during some demonstrations. Columbia officials canceled classes and switched to a hybrid schedule after student protesters were arrested at a campus encampment.
Critics, including New York’s Republican congressional delegation and Sen. John Fetterman, have called for Shafik’s resignation, accusing her of failing to address incidents of antisemitic harassment and calls for violence against Jewish students. Billionaire alumni, such as Robert Kraft, have also criticized the university’s handling of the protests and withdrawn financial support. Shafik released a statement condemning the intimidating behavior on campus, attributing it to individuals not affiliated with Columbia who have their own agendas.
