Columbia University will have virtual classes on Monday due to ongoing unrest and concerns for the safety of Jewish students on campus.
The school’s president, Minouche Shafik, announced made the decision to move to online learning early Monday and asked faculty and staff to work remotely if possible.
Shafik stated a preference that off-campus students should not come to campus on Monday.
These actions were taken in order to reduce tensions and give everyone a chance to consider next steps, Shafik explained.
This announcement came after a campus rabbi urged Jewish students to return home as soon as possible, expressing concerns for their safety ahead of the start of the Jewish holiday of Passover on Monday evening.
“The situation in and around campus is awful and tragic. Recent events, especially last night, have shown that Columbia University’s Public Safety and the NYPD cannot ensure the safety of Jewish students in the face of extreme antisemitism and chaos,” a rabbi for the Orthodox community at Columbia/Barnard conveyed to students in a WhatsApp message. CNN anchor Jake Tapper reported on Sunday.
“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. It is not our job as Jews to ensure our own safety on campus. No one should have to endure this level of hatred, let alone at school,” the rabbi continued.
The campus Hillel director issued a statement urging the school and the city to take more measures to protect Jewish students, but did not echo the call for students to return home. statement “This is a time of genuine discomfort and even fear for many of us on campus. Let me be clear – the Kraft Center for Jewish Student Life is and will remain open. Students looking to be in community with one another, or in need of a quiet place to study or be with friends, are welcome to come by the Kraft Center at any time,” Brian Cohen said.
The White House on Sunday also condemned calls for “violence and physical intimidation targeting Jewish students” as protests continue at colleges in the U.S., including Columbia University.
“While every American has the right to peaceful protest, calls for violence and physical intimidation targeting Jewish students and the Jewish community are blatantly Antisemitic, unconscionable, and dangerous — they have absolutely no place on any college campus, or anywhere in the United States of America,” White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates said in a statement shared with The Hill.
The Columbia president stated that a working group of deans, faculty, and university administrators will work to resolve this crisis in the coming days.
“I know that there is much debate about whether or not we should use the police on campus, and I am happy to engage in those discussions. But I do know that better adherence to our rules and effective enforcement mechanisms would obviate the need for relying on anyone else to keep our community safe. We should be able to do this ourselves,” Shafik said.
The statement continued to say that there have been too many cases of frightening and harassing behavior on the campus in the past few days. It is unacceptable to use language, including antisemitic language, to hurt and scare people, and appropriate action will be taken.
Columbia University will have virtual classes on Monday due to ongoing unrest and increased concern for the safety of Jewish students on campus. The school's president, Minouche Shafik, announced the move to online learning early Monday and advised faculty and staff to work remotely if possible. The preference is for students who do not live…
