Claire Shipman, acting president of Columbia University, stated on Thursday that “it is simply a fact that antisemitic incidents surged on our campus after Oct. 7.”
“Everyone in our community has been affected by the government’s actions and the corresponding public scrutiny,” she said. “But the challenges for our research mission, and our entire institution, are becoming increasingly acute.”
The Trump administration cut $400 million from the university in March over what it said is the Ivy League school’s failure to adequately address Jew-hatred on campus since the Hamas-led terrorist attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. The university laid off 180 employees in May.
“Columbia’s top scientists are facing the decimation of decades of research,” Shipman stated. “Graduate students, postdocs, mid-career researchers and established, celebrated scientists have all had their breakthroughs lauded by the world one minute and defunded the next.”
“We’re in danger of reaching a tipping point in terms of preserving our research excellence and the work we do for humanity,” she added.
Shipman said it’s imperative for the school and government to rebuild their “research partnership,” but she intends to hold firm on the “red lines” of maintaining “our autonomy and independent governance” in any agreement with Washington.
She pushed back on the notion that “following the law and attempting to resolve a complaint” amounts to “capitulation.”
“It is simply a fact that antisemitic incidents surged on our campus after Oct. 7, and that is unacceptable,” Shipman said. “I’ve seen too many students, faculty members and staff in absolute anguish.”
“We engaged in conversations with the government about their concerns, which were and continue to be our concerns and our community’s concerns,” she said. “We’ve committed to change. We’ve made progress, but we have more to do.”
“We have a lot to balance,” Shipman added. “Safeguarding the critical work of our research mission and what it provides to the world is a moral responsibility, as is safeguarding our integrity.”
