‘WE NEED A RESET’

Columbia University Goes Remote, Citing ‘Safety Concerns’ After Gaza Protest

Columbia’s president said the change was intended to deescalate tensions and allow the university to address security concerns.

Columbia University has shifted all of its classes online after ongoing protests over Israel and Gaza roiled the campus through the weekend. The university’s president, Minouche Shafik, announced the change Monday morning and cited the dire need for a reset. “To deescalate the rancor and give us all a chance to consider next steps, I am announcing that all classes will be held virtually on Monday,” she wrote. “Over the past days, there have been too many examples of intimidating and harassing behavior on our campus.” She added that many students had expressed fears for their safety and that non-university-affiliated actors had infiltrated protests to “pursue their own agendas.” Last week, several Jewish students reported antisemitic attacks by pro-Palestinian protesters, and one of Columbia’s rabbis advised the Jewish community not to return to campus for their own safety. Columbia drew criticism from pro-Palestinian groups and free speech advocates as well when it authorized the NYPD to shut down the protest, issuing suspensions that left some students—including Rep. Ilhan Omar’s daughter—without food and shelter.