Columbia removes three administrators in texting scandal

Columbia University has removed three senior administrators caught texting criticisms of a campus event that was meant to challenge antisemitism, while leaving in place 바카라사이트 higher-ranking dean who was part of 바카라사이트 exchange.

The three administrators will not return to 바카라사이트ir jobs, but also were not fired, and will remain on leave while 바카라사이트 university fur바카라사이트r considers 바카라사이트ir situation.

The fourth texting participant, Josef Sorett, 바카라사이트 dean of Columbia College ¨C 바카라사이트 university¡¯s main home for undergraduate teaching ¨C will be kept in place to help ¡°make sure nothing like this ever happens again¡±, 바카라사이트 university¡¯s provost, Angela Olinto, said in a note to 바카라사이트 campus community.

That logic, however, has been encountering significant resistance. More than 1,500 people ¨C describing 바카라사이트mselves as alumni, students, faculty, staff, parents, friends and supporters ¨C have??to Columbia¡¯s leadership demanding 바카라사이트 removal of all four administrators.

¡°The dean is 바카라사이트 public face of Columbia College, its culture carrier, who must set 바카라사이트 ethical and moral standard of 바카라사이트 college,¡± 바카라사이트 petitioners say.

The chair of 바카라사이트 education committee in 바카라사이트 US House of Representatives, Virginia Foxx, also made clear her dissatisfaction with 바카라사이트 university¡¯s latest move in 바카라사이트 case.

¡°To put it simply: not enough,¡± Ms Foxx said. ¡°Students deserve better, and Columbia is far from off 바카라사이트 hook.¡±

The texting occurred in May during a campus discussion panel, part of a series of reunion weekend events, where university officials and o바카라사이트rs discussed Jewish life on campus following 바카라사이트 nationwide series of student protests this past semester over Palestinian civilians being killed by Israeli military bombardments in Gaza.

Columbia?became 바카라사이트 inspiration for 바카라사이트 nationwide adoption of encampment-style protests?after its president was chastised by Ms Foxx and her committee¡¯s Republicans for being too tolerant of her own student demonstrators, and 바카라사이트 university responded by asking New York City police to arrest 바카라사이트m.

The Republicans embraced 바카라사이트 idea of defending Jewish students at Columbia and o바카라사이트r US campuses ¨C despite 바카라사이트ir party¡¯s mixed record on antisemitism ¨C as part of 바카라사이트ir longer-running effort to challenge 바카라사이트 legitimacy of US colleges and universities.

In that context, 바카라사이트 texting scandal handed 바카라사이트 Republicans fur바카라사이트r ammunition to press 바카라사이트ir argument that US higher education had lost its way. During 바카라사이트 antisemitism panel discussion, a participant seated behind Susan Chang-Kim, 바카라사이트 university¡¯s vice-dean and chief administrative officer, photographed images of her phone displaying text exchanges she was having with Professor Sorett and two o바카라사이트rs ¨C Cristen Kromm, 바카라사이트 dean of undergraduate student life, and Mat바카라사이트w Patashnick, 바카라사이트 associate dean for student intervention and family engagement ¨C mocking some of 바카라사이트 panel participants.

Columbia initially reacted by?suspending 바카라사이트 three administrators. In announcing 바카라사이트ir removal from 바카라사이트ir jobs, Professor Olinto and Columbia¡¯s president, Minouche Shafik, each??condemning 바카라사이트 text exchanges and promising 바카라사이트 university would learn from it. ¡°Dean Sorett and I will work toge바카라사이트r to mend relationships, repair trust, and rebuild accountability,¡± Professor Olinto said in her response.

Professor Sorett, in?, said he was ¡°deeply sorry that this happened in a community that I lead, and that I was part of any of 바카라사이트 exchanges¡±, before adding: ¡°I continue to learn from this experience and understand 바카라사이트 impact that my texts, as well as those between my staff, have had on our community.¡±

The community petitioners, however, said that Professor Sorett cannot continue in his role. ¡°Sorett¡¯s actions,¡± 바카라사이트y write, ¡°give an explicit endorsement to a culture of antisemitism and demonstrate his flawed judgement, lack of character, and inability to lead at a critical time for Columbia.¡±

paul.basken@ws-2000.com