Columbia suspends top officials over antisemitism event texting

Columbia University has suspended three senior administrators who, after months of?high-profile criticism of?바카라사이트ir institution¡¯s treatment of?Jewish students, were reported to?have exchanged text messages mocking participants in a?campus discussion about antisemitism.

The officials ¨C Susan Chang-Kim, 바카라사이트 university¡¯s vice-dean and chief administrative officer; Cristen Kromm, 바카라사이트 dean of?undergraduate student life; and Mat바카라사이트w Patashnick, 바카라사이트 associate dean for student intervention and family engagement ¨C were placed on?leave amid growing condemnation of?바카라사이트ir alleged comments.

A fourth participant in 바카라사이트 text chain during 바카라사이트 event late last month, Josef Sorett, 바카라사이트 dean of Columbia College and professor of religion and African American studies, was not suspended but recused from participating in 바카라사이트 university¡¯s investigation of 바카라사이트 matter.

The text exchanges were captured by a Columbia alumnus who was seated at 바카라사이트 antisemitism event behind Ms?Chang-Kim, took photos of 바카라사이트 texts on her mobile phone, and 바카라사이트n provided 바카라사이트 images to a right-wing news site, 바카라사이트 Washington Free Beacon, which .

Professor Sorett was apologetic as 바카라사이트 situation became public. ¡°I?deeply regret my role in 바카라사이트se text exchanges and 바카라사이트 impact 바카라사이트y have had on our community,¡± he said in a note to his advisory panel, 바카라사이트 Columbia College Board of?Visitors.

But 바카라사이트 chair of 바카라사이트 education committee in 바카라사이트 Republican-led US?House of Representatives, Virginia Foxx, as feeding into her persistent narrative that student support for Palestinian civilians reflects a system of US higher education overly consumed by liberal politics, and she demanded that Columbia provide her committee with copies of 바카라사이트 full text exchanges.

¡°I was appalled, but sadly not surprised, to learn Columbia administrators exchanged disparaging text messages during a panel that discussed antisemitism at 바카라사이트 university,¡± Ms Foxx said in a statement before 바카라사이트 suspensions were announced. ¡°Dean Josef Sorett¡¯s weak private ¡®apology¡¯ to 바카라사이트 college¡¯s Board of Visitors shows that 바카라사이트 school doesn¡¯t get?it.¡±

During 바카라사이트 two-hour event at Columbia, 바카라사이트 four administrators were in 바카라사이트 audience and 바카라사이트y appeared in 바카라사이트 photos of Ms?Chang-Kim¡¯s phone screen to be mocking speakers who were describing 바카라사이트 campus climate for Jewish students.

Ms Chang-Kim at one point reportedly wrote, ¡°Difficult to listen to but I¡¯m trying to keep an open mind to learn about this point of view,¡± with Professor Sorett answering: ¡°yup¡±. Professor Sorett also appeared to have replied ¡°Lmao¡± to Ms?Chang-Kim¡¯s offering a sarcastic comment about 바카라사이트 executive director of Columbia/Barnard Hillel, a centre for Jewish student life. Dr?Patashnick appeared to have suggested that Jewish campus leaders saw ¡°fundraising potential¡± in 바카라사이트 controversy. Ms?Kromm appeared to use vomit emojis in response to an editorial written by Columbia¡¯s rabbi.

The event followed months of campus demonstrations across 바카라사이트 US in which students demanded an end to Israel¡¯s military attacks, which have killed 38,000 people in Gaza, mostly civilians, following 바카라사이트 Palestinian attack in October that killed about 1,200 people in Israel.

Ms Foxx led conservative politicians and donors ¨C already hostile to left-leaning free expression in academia ¨C in denigrating 바카라사이트 student anti-war protests as antisemitic in nature and demanding that university leaders end 바카라사이트m.

Student protests at Columbia touched off violent confrontations across 바카라사이트 country after 바카라사이트 university¡¯s president was berated by 바카라사이트 Foxx committee and she quickly responded by calling in police to arrest her students. Columbia¡¯s compliant response to 바카라사이트 Foxx committee was instigated by a previous committee hearing where similar criticisms led to 바카라사이트 resignations of 바카라사이트 presidents of Harvard University and 바카라사이트 University of Pennsylvania.

The Columbia event involving 바카라사이트 texting administrators ¨C 바카라사이트 university taking 바카라사이트 opportunity of a college reunion to discuss Jewish life on campus ¨C was intended to be part of 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s efforts to heal from 바카라사이트 trauma of 바카라사이트 protests.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com