April 22 (UPI) — All classes at Columbia University are to be held virtually on Monday, the president of the Ivey League school said as she seeks to simmer conflict that has exploded on campus amid Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza.
President Minouche Shafik announced the change in a letter addressed to members of the Columbia community hours before the classes were to begin on Monday and after more than 100 pro-Palestinian protesters who had occupied the school’s south law were arrested last week.
She said the move online was to “de-escalate the rancor and give us all a chance to consider next steps.”
“The decibel of our disagreements has only increased in recent days. These tensions have been exploited and amplified by individuals who are not affiliated with Columbia who have come to campus to pursue their own agendas,” she said. “We need a reset.”
The statement came after New York City police on Thursday arrested more than 108 protesters who had camped out on Columbia campus, including Isra Hirsi, the daughter of Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar, for more than 30 hours. Police officials said the protesters received summonses for trespass. Columbia said all students who participated have been suspended.
Since the arrests, there have been several instances of anti-Semitism on and around campus, which seemingly prompted Rabbi Elie Buechler, director of the orthodox Union-Jewish Learning Initiative for the campuses of Columbia and Barnard, to write to nearly 300 students Sunday morning to say the school is not safe from anti-Semitism and anarchy, according to the Columbia Spectator.
“It deeply pains me to say that I would strongly recommend you return home as soon as possible and remain home until the reality in and around campus has dramatically improved,” Buechler wrote, the school’s paper reported. “It is not our job as Jews to ensure our own safety on campus.”
Columbia/Barnard Hillel, seemingly in response to Buechler’s message, said on X they do not believe students need to leave Columbia, but that “we do believe that the university and the city need to do more to ensure the safety of our students.”
In a letter addressed to Shafik, the Jewish student association called Buechler’s warning “a searing indictment of the current state of affairs.”
“The world is indeed watching, President Shafik,” it said. “The steps you take now will define your legacy and, more importantly, the lives of countless students who look to their university for protection and support. We urge you to take immediate and effective action to secure the campus and safeguard its students.”
New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Sunday in a statement condemning the anti-Semitism pointed out examples, including one person holding up a sign with an arrow calling Jewish students the next targets of Iran and another person yelling “We are Hamas.”
He urged Columbia’s administration to improve and maintain an open line of communication with police to ensure the safety of the students.
“We will not be a city of lawlessness, and those professional agitators seeking to seize the ongoing conflict in the Middle East to sow chaos and division in our city will not succeed,” he said.
On Sunday, Columbia University Chief Operating Officer Cas Holloway informed students in a letter that a number of initiatives would be taken to improve safety on campus, including increasing the total number of safety personnel, enhanced perimeter security, improved ID checks at campus entry points and additional coverage during the Passover holiday.
Shafik said Monday that deans, administrators and faculty will work over the coming days “to bring this crisis to a resolution” through discussions with student protestors and identifying actions that can be taken to enable the school to peacefully complete the term.
“Let’s remind ourselves of our common values of honoring learning, mutual respect, and kindness that have been the bedrock of Columbia,” Shafik said.
“I hope everyone can take a deep breath, show compassion, and work together to rebuild the ties that bind us together.”
