The Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Columbia University passed a resolution of no confidence in the school’s president, Nemat Shafik, on Thursday, saying she had violated “basic requirements of academic freedom and governance.” public policy” and engaged in “an unprecedented attack on student rights.”
The move, while largely symbolic, underscores the anger Dr. Shafik faces on campus as she tries to recover from her divisive handling of pro-democracy protests. support for Palestine and her public commitment to a congressional committee last month that she would discipline several faculty members who had violated the law. espouses views against Israel that some consider anti-Semitic.
The resolution of no confidence was introduced by the campus chapter of the American Association of University Professors, a professional faculty organization. Of the 709 professors who voted, 65% supported the resolution and 29% opposed it. Six percent abstained.
The resolution specifically criticized Dr. Shafik’s decision to call police onto campus to clear a pro-Palestinian student encampment on April 18, even after the executive committee of the University Senate unanimously asked her not to do that. The resolution says she “falsely stated” that the students were “a clear and present danger to the substantive functioning of the university,” arguing instead that they were peaceful.
She also violated academic freedom regulations when she promised to fire faculty members during a hearing before the congressional committee on anti-Semitism on April 17, the resolution said.
“The president’s choice to ignore our statutes and rules on academic freedom and shared governance, arrest our students, and impose a campus lockdown with “Constant police presence, has seriously undermined our trust in her.”
Dr. Shafik has not appeared in public with students since calling police to clear protesters from Hamilton Hall, a building on campus, on April 30, outside a video that school posted online this month in which she addressed the broader university community. Citing security concerns, she kept the main campus on partial lockdown for more than two weeks and canceled the main graduation ceremony she was supposed to preside over.
Ben Chang, a Columbia spokesman, said in a comment: “President Shafik continues to consult regularly with members of the community, including faculty, administrators and trustees. members, as well as with state, city and community leaders.” “She appreciates the efforts of those working with her on the long road ahead to heal our community.”
Many smaller graduation ceremonies at each of Columbia’s 19 colleges went off relatively smoothly, but not without signs of protest. Some students wore black and white kaffiyehs; others hung small Palestinian flags. The valedictorian of Columbia College, the university’s main college, held up a sign that read “Divestments” as she walked around the stage.
Outside the ceremony, some people passed out leaflets to waiting friends and family members in response to protesters’ demands, including that the school divest from companies that work with Israel. Every now and then, a billboard truck also makes the rounds displaying Dr. Shafik’s photo on a bright red background with the words “TIME TO REGENERATE!”
Saham David Ahmed Ali, a student speaker at the university’s Mailman School of Public Health, used her graduation speech called for a ceasefire in Gaza and made demands of pro-Palestinian protesters, receiving widespread cheers. Her microphone cut off briefly during her speech: A university spokesperson called it an unintentional technical glitch.
Those relatively modest protests contrasted with protests at other schools around the city, including the New School and parts of the City University of New York, a public system where protests larger has taken place in recent days. Student at CUNY and at New York University also occupied for a short time buildingsbut still stood down without police intervention.
Another group of students and faculty at Columbia circulated an open letter calling on Dr. Shafik to enforce better security on campus and saying they support her efforts to crack down on protesters. . That thing lettersAs of Thursday, it had been signed by hundreds of people, including alumni, parents and others with no connection to the university, who mentioned many incidents they considered objectionable.
The letter stated that the group that introduced the no-confidence motion against Dr. Shafik does not “represent the many faculty and students at Columbia University.”
As he tried to overcome the tension, Dr. Shafik held private meetings with faculty and other members of the Columbia community in an attempt to mend relationships and find a path forward without resigning. . (Three other Ivy League presidents have resigned in the past six months, although it is unclear whether their departures were related to tensions over the war in Gaza and related protests.)
On Wednesday, Dr. Shafik wrote conciliation minutes for students and published in the school newspaper instead of a graduation speech.
“You may not agree with every decision made by university leadership, but please know that it comes from a place of care and concern for the common good at Columbia,” she wrote. She added that she will “look back on the class of 2024 with special admiration and affection.”
The resolution, organized among the largest group of faculty members at the school, was passed with 458 votes in favor, 206 votes against and 45 abstentions. Of the 899 faculty members eligible to vote, 709 completed the ballot. This appears to be the first time the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Columbia has passed a vote of no confidence in a dean, several faculty members said.
On April 26, the University Senate, comprised of 111 delegates from across Columbia, passed a resolution called for an investigation into Dr. Shafik’s actions, but stopped short of criticizing. That resolution accuses the administration of violating established processes, undermining academic freedom, jeopardizing free inquiry, and violating the due process rights of both students. staff and professors.
Although important, Thursday’s resolution of no confidence is not a call for Dr. Shafik resigned. Instead, it charts a path forward.
“A vote of no confidence in the president is the first step toward rebuilding our community and reestablishing the university’s core values of free speech,” the resolution states. , the right to peaceful assembly and common governance”.
There are approximately 4,700 full-time faculty members at Columbia, of which the Faculty of Arts and Sciences accounts for approximately 20%. Many of the protesting students who were disciplined and arrested were studying with arts and sciences instructors, Dr. Newton said, “so it makes sense that they were most adamant about this issue.”
Liset Cruz Report contributions.
