Washington, D.C. – Columbia University president Minouche Shafik testified before the Republican-led House Education Committee on Wednesday regarding the growing issue of anti-Semitism on college campuses. Initially denying the presence of “anti-Jewish protests” at Columbia, Shafik later acknowledged the occurrence of anti-Semitic remarks during demonstrations on campus.
During the hearing, Rep. Elise Stefanik (R., N.Y.) pressed Shafik on the distinction between anti-Israeli government protests and anti-Jewish sentiments, highlighting instances of chanting “Jews out” at Columbia. Shafik ultimately conceded that despite the labeling of the protests, anti-Semitic language was indeed used.
Moreover, Shafik addressed concerns regarding the acceptance of certain chants, such as “globalize the intifada,” within the university’s current policies. She assured the committee of efforts to prevent faculty members from engaging in discriminatory practices and criticized a professor’s controversial remarks supporting a terror attack on Israel.
Despite these assurances, Shafik confirmed the continued employment of the professor in question, noting that he had been reprimanded for his previous statements. She emphasized that steps had been taken to address the issue, and there have been no further incidents of similar nature.
The testimony shed light on the challenges faced by universities in addressing instances of anti-Semitism and the need for concrete actions to combat such behavior on college campuses. The exchange between Shafik and the committee members underscored the complexities of balancing academic freedom with the responsibility to ensure a safe and inclusive environment for all students.