Months after unrest on the Ivy League campus related to the Israel-Hamas war and student protests, three Columbia University deans were permanently ousted from their positions on Monday for allegedly sharing “deeply concerning” texts that “disturbingly touched on ancient antisemitic tropes,” New York Times reported quoting university officials.
In a letter to the Columbia community, university president Minouche Shafik and provost Angela Olinto announced the administrators’ permanent dismissal and indefinite leave. The dean of the college, who previously apologized for his involvement in the text exchanges, will retain his position.
Minouche Shafik stated, “The incident revealed behavior and sentiments that were not only unprofessional but also disturbingly touched on ancient antisemitic tropes.”
“These sentiments are unacceptable and deeply upsetting, conveying a lack of seriousness about the concerns and experiences of our Jewish community members that is antithetical to our university’s values and standards,” she added.
Last month, the university placed the administrators on leave after a conservative news outlet published images purportedly showing text messages exchanged during the May 31 panel discussion titled “Jewish Life on Campus: Past, Present, and Future.” Some messages included a vomiting emoji, and administrators accused Jewish students of “privilege,” ridiculing their need for safe spaces on campus to avoid harassment, the report said.
One administrator, Patashnick, the associate dean for student and family support, was quoted as saying, “Laying the case to expand physical space! They will have their own dorm soon,” prompting Chang-Kim, vice dean and chief administrative officer of Columbia College, to respond with, “Coming from such a place of privilege,” according to a report by The New York Post.
Provost Angela Olinto stated, “The three staff members implicated have been permanently removed from their positions at Columbia College and are currently on leave.”