In early August, Columbia University informed Congress that the majority of students arrested in the past year for protesting against Israel’s actions in Gaza would be permitted to return to campus for the upcoming fall semester.
However, following a congressional inquiry, the Republican Chair of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce criticized the university for not disciplining the students harshly enough. Subsequently, a subpoena was issued for internal records related to the protests, including communication among administrators, board of trustees meeting minutes, and documentation of alleged antisemitic incidents on campus.
Dozens of student protesters have now been notified that their cases will be expedited to university disciplinary hearings, bypassing Columbia’s usual investigation process. This sudden move to fast-track the cases without interviewing the students involved is seen as a response to external pressure from Congress, according to Columbia Law School Professor Katherine Franke.
Despite the criticism from Congress, the university spokesperson stated that the disciplinary process for students involved in the protests is ongoing and that efforts are being made to accelerate the process. The university has already suspended and taken actions against many students accused of participating in the protests.
As the hearings approach, more than 70 students face allegations related to various protests on campus. While most students are expected to be allowed back on campus for the fall semester, the hearings may result in further disciplinary actions.
Franke expressed concern over the sanctions imposed on students before any findings of guilt, noting that previous protests at Columbia did not lead to similar repercussions. The crackdown on students involved in pro-Palestine protests started in November, with the suspension of campus chapters of Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace after an unsanctioned rally.
In early April, the school suspended four students for organizing an unauthorized rally that featured a speaker who is allegedly a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, designated as a terrorist organization by the United States.
Shortly after then-President Minouche Shafik testified in Congress on antisemitism on college campuses, a “Gaza Solidarity Encampment” set up by students was dismantled by the New York Police Department, leading to mass arrests. More aggressive police tactics were used when officers raided Hamilton Hall, occupied by student activists, resulting in additional arrests.
The disciplinary process for students involved in these incidents began as the school year ended for summer, sparking criticism from students and faculty. Accusations were made against university administrators, including Shafik, for not following proper procedures in punishing students involved in protests.
An outside investigator, Omar Estrada Torres, was hired to handle the investigations, which have been criticized for alleged missteps and violations of state and federal law. Faculty members raised concerns about the use of illegally obtained evidence and delays in the investigation process.
Faculty members also criticized the charges brought against students as vague and lacking evidence, accusing the school of attempting to force students to incriminate themselves. They objected to the violation of due process rights and urged for a fairer disciplinary process.
Protests on campuses across the U.S. called for divestment from companies with connections to Israel, leading Republican lawmakers to criticize the demonstrations as antisemitic. There have been reports of antisemitic, anti-Muslim, and anti-Arab incidents on campuses, which have been conflated with protests against Israel’s actions in Gaza.
High-profile congressional hearings on antisemitism in college campuses by Foxxâs committee have resulted in the resignation of presidents of prestigious schools, including Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania, and most recently, Shafik of Columbia.
Recently, New York University has updated its student code of conduct, making speaking out against Zionism a potential violation of the schoolâs nondiscrimination policies.
Franke is concerned that the current political climate is being used by pro-Israel students at Columbia to target those suspected of supporting Palestine.
During the summer, a student advised by Franke was accused by another student of allowing a non-student into a campus building, which was a violation of recent campus security measures during protests. While awaiting their hearing, their academic record was frozen. The student, an international student from Lebanon, claimed that they were not on campus during the alleged incident but were instead visiting family in Lebanon during Israeli military bombardments, according to Franke.
âAnd they put her through this ⊠all the way through threatening expulsion when sheâs also dealing with family members in bunkers in southern Lebanon,â Franke said. âThatâs the level of insensitivity that weâre seeing. ⊠Some of the more pro-Israeli students are weaponizing the disciplinary process to harass their classmates, and the university at the same time is allowing the system to be used that way, to really intimidate students who were known to be pro-Palestinian.â
