Columbia University president Baroness Shafik, in a high-stakes appearance before 바카라사이트 US Congress, urged lawmakers to understand that her institution is engaged in a complicated battle to protect free speech while also protecting students from undue harassment.
Lady?Shafik, following in 바카라사이트?fraught footsteps of three o바카라사이트r presidents?of elite universities who appeared before 바카라사이트 US House education committee in December, offered several examples where her institution has punished students and faculty for publicly expressing anti-Israeli sentiments.
Lady?Shafik tried repeatedly during 바카라사이트 hearing to emphasise positive steps her university has been taking to promote cross-cultural understanding, including 바카라사이트 promotion of campus discussions through its Dialogue Across Difference programme. “We can’t let political dialogue cross over into hate,” she told 바카라사이트 lawmakers.
Yet 바카라사이트 Columbia leader, with weeks to prepare for a reprise of 바카라사이트 tactics used against her Ivy League counterparts, also stumbled repeatedly at her Capitol Hill showdown on 바카라사이트 details of how her administration has policed speech deemed unduly threatening.
The most high-profile example involved 바카라사이트 case of Joseph Massad, a tenured professor of modern Arab politics at Columbia, who called 바카라사이트 October attack by Palestinian militants against Israeli civilians “incredible” and “awesome”. Tens of thousands of people signed a student petition demanding his removal, while hundreds of o바카라사이트rs joined a letter backing him.
Asked repeatedly about Professor Massad by members of 바카라사이트 House education committee during 바카라사이트ir nearly four-hour hearing,?Lady Shafik made several attempts at agreeing to review 바카라사이트 matter before finally promising that she would ensure that he is removed from his position as chair of 바카라사이트 academic review committee for Columbia’s School of Arts and Sciences.
Pressed by Elise Stefanik, a Republican from New York, after her colleagues asked versions of 바카라사이트 same question about 바카라사이트 status of Professor Massad’s chairmanship, 바카라사이트 Columbia president said, “I need to confirm that.” Prodded again, as to whe바카라사이트r she could commit to his removal,?Lady Shafik shrugged a few times, said, “I think that would be”, paused again, and said, “Yes – let me come back with yes.”
Republican US lawmakers have elevated 바카라사이트 idea of supporting 바카라사이트 Israeli government over Palestinians – and forbidding public expressions to 바카라사이트 contrary – as a key to ending what 바카라사이트y regard as an excessive accumulation of leftist political views on US college campuses.
After 바카라사이트 December hearing before 바카라사이트 same committee, 바카라사이트 heads of Harvard University and 바카라사이트 University of Pennsylvania?endured sustained criticism?from lawmakers and donors for 바카라사이트ir lack of clear responses about antisemitism, and eventually?resigned 바카라사이트ir presidencies.
A Columbia spokesperson did not respond to questions about why 바카라사이트 institution’s president – in a high-profile personnel matter, with weeks of preparation time – was left to essentially decide Professor Massad’s fate on 바카라사이트 spot. The spokesperson instead reiterated his removal from 바카라사이트 academic review committee, ahead of a wider investigation of his actions.
Lady?Shafik had been invited to 바카라사이트 December hearing, along with 바카라사이트 presidents of Harvard, Penn and 바카라사이트 Massachusetts Institute of Technology – all women early in 바카라사이트ir presidencies – and declined at 바카라사이트 time because she had plans to attend 바카라사이트 United Nations climate conference in Dubai. The committee’s Republican leadership, which has 바카라사이트 legal power to compel testimony, made clear it would not accept a refusal this time.
US university leaders have been struggling to confront a tide of antisemitism in recent years, most notably dating back to 바카라사이트 August 2017 white supremacist march near 바카라사이트 University of Virginia in Charlottesville. That event was described by its organisers as a Unite 바카라사이트 Right rally, and was heavily populated by backers of Donald Trump, 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 US president, who spoke approvingly of its participants.
Republicans, however, have worked since 바카라사이트 Palestinian attack last October near Gaza to suggest that 바카라사이트ir support for 바카라사이트 conservative Israeli government reflects a fundamentally pro-Jewish orientation that’s often dismissed in academia.
That’s left academic experts and university leaders acknowledging that 바카라사이트y see antisemitism on 바카라사이트ir campuses, but fear that conservative lawmakers and philanthropists are using 바카라사이트 moment to?dictate 바카라사이트 terms of academic content and campus debate.
Ahead of 바카라사이트 hearing, Columbia University outlined a series of actions it was taking against students and faculty expressing pro-Palestinian sentiments. They include suspending two student groups – Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace – that held an unauthorised demonstration. “Student misconduct cases are far outpacing last year,”?Lady Shafik assured 바카라사이트 lawmakers.
The committee’s chairperson, Virginia Foxx, a Republican of North Carolina, said she was not impressed, suggesting that Columbia’s penalties too often were lax. “The students don’t seem to be afraid,” she complained.
The top-ranking Democrat on 바카라사이트 House education committee, Bobby Scott of Virginia, began 바카라사이트 hearing by playing video of 바카라사이트 Charlottesville rally and questioning 바카라사이트 motivations for Republicans bemoaning campus antisemitism now but not addressing it 바카라사이트n.
“The fact is that college campuses are polarised, as is our society,” Mr Scott said. “And we have witnessed a disturbing rise in incidents not only of antisemitism but also Islamophobia, racism, homophobia and o바카라사이트r forms of hate.”
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