High Country Times

Columbia University President Dr. Nemat (Minouche) Shafik, along with Board of Trustees Co-Chairs Ms. Claire Shipman and Mr. David Greenwald, will testify at a hearing titled “Columbia in Crisis: Columbia University’s Response to Antisemitism” on Wednesday, April 17, 2024. The Committee on Education and the Workforce, chaired by Virginia Foxx (R-NC), will host the hearing, aiming to address the concerning issue of antisemitism on the university's campus.

Chairwoman Foxx expressed the urgency of the situation, stating, “Some of the worst cases of antisemitic assaults, harassment, and vandalism on campus have occurred at Columbia University." She highlighted the gravity of the situation, emphasizing the need for Columbia's leadership to address and rectify the failures in protecting Jewish students.

In response to the escalating incidents, Columbia undergraduate student Eden Yadegar shared harrowing experiences, revealing, "[w]e have been attacked with sticks outside of our library. We have been surrounded by angry mobs. And we have been threatened to 'keep f***ing running.'"

The hearing will provide an opportunity for the university's leadership to present their strategies and actions in combating antisemitism on campus. Credentialed media interested in covering the event are required to RSVP to Nick.Barley@mail.house.gov, with the hearing also set to be live-streamed on the Committee's YouTube page.

The Committee's engagement with Columbia University follows Chairwoman Foxx's previous communication to the institution's key figures, requesting information on their response to antisemitism and the protection of Jewish students, faculty, and staff. The upcoming hearing will shed light on the steps being taken by Columbia University to address the crisis at hand.