Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By admin on June 7, 2024

Columbia University officials agreed on Tuesday to provide safe passage for students on campus in a settlement reached with a Jewish student who sued on behalf of those who switched to online learning in April in the midst of intense pro-Palestinian protests.

The school is creating a Safe Passage Liaison who will have authority to open alternative entrances and exits to students with existing 24-hour security escorts, if needed, under the terms of the settlement. Columbia officials also committed to continue fostering debate and discussion to encourage an alternative to the more extreme forms of protest. And the university agreed to consider academic accommodations for students who were unable to complete schoolwork because of their lack of access to campus amid the turmoil.

The Ivy League school in New York was at the epicenter of tensions as demonstrations over the Israel-Gaza war erupted at campuses across the country this spring, becoming a symbol of the difficulty university leaders faced in balancing student safety with the right to free expression. The tent encampment at the center of the schools Morningside campus was one of the first in the wave of protests that kicked off in April.

At the height of the protests, hundreds of New York Police Department officers swept onto Columbias campus in riot gear to clear a building that protesters had seized, and gates to the main campus were closed even to many students and faculty members.

We think peaceful protest is a constructive way to solve situations, said Jay Edelson, an attorney for the plaintiff, but recently extremists have tried to take over campuses, and push out, figuratively and literally, people who they deem are on the wrong side. That has created situations that have turned frightening, he said.

As protests intensified, some Jewish students at Columbia complained they were the targets of antisemitic threats, according to the settlement and interviews with students.

We got a focused security monitor whos going to be able to serve as the eyes, ears and voice for anyone on campus who feels unsafe, Edelson said. That is a major win.

Perhaps even more importantly, he said, the settlement in federal district court for the Southern District of New York secured a commitment from Columbia to continue to encourage real discussion, instead of sparring sides chanting slogans at one another. We think thats the only way to restore sanity to universities, he said, with public forums and debates to allow the really complex issues at stake to be hashed out.

Ben Chang, a spokesman for the university, said in an emailed statement that the school was satisfied with the outcome of the lawsuit. We are pleased we have been able to come to a resolution and remain committed to our number one priority: the safety of our campus so that all of our students can successfully pursue their education and meet their academic goals, he said.

The settlement acknowledges Columbias significant measures this year to protect student safety, including restricting access to the Morningside campus to those with Columbia identification, hiring more than 100 additional safety employees, engaging private security to protect the perimeter, and calling in city police.

The plaintiff, who filed the class-action complaint using her initials, and counsel firmly believe that open debate is critical, even when the subjects of those debates are strongly felt by each side and raise uncomfortable questions. Columbia concurs, and underscores its commitment to an academic tradition of free thought and open debate, according to the settlement agreement. The university will continue to work to provide opportunities for students and faculty to engage in safe, courteous, and constructive dialogue on the important issues that have been raised in recent months.

Edelson said the law firm will hold a town hall this week to alert students and others to the changes and to talk about how to begin dialogue on the issues.

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Columbia agrees to safety measures and dialogue amid protests - The Washington Post

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