(New York) A commission pointed out in a report Friday the failures of the prestigious private New York university Columbia to combat anti-Semitism during the waves of demonstrations that shook the campus during the war between Hamas and Israel.
“The testimonies of hundreds of Jewish and Israeli students clearly show that the university community has not treated them with the civility, respect and fairness that it promises to all its students,” says the report, the second from the task force on anti-Semitism created by the university at the height of the controversy on American campuses last spring.
According to the commission, during the spring, “nearly 500 students testified.” “Their stories are moving and clearly show that the university must act,” it points out.
The report cited examples of students being pushed to the ground for expressing support for Israel, or swastikas being sprayed on university residences. Others said they were denied access to public spaces because they were Jewish or Israeli.
The commission found that the university did not have adequate structures in place to respond to incidents. “Many students did not know how to report these incidents. While some faculty and staff responded with compassion and determination, others downplayed the concerns of these students, responding slowly and ineffectively to even the most egregious violations,” it wrote in the report.
The task force recommends more training to combat discrimination and anti-Semitism for students, faculty and staff. It also recommends improving mechanisms for reporting and addressing any incidents.
As the epicenter of pro-Palestinian protests and demonstrations in support of the population of Gaza last spring, Columbia was accused, like other American universities, of not doing enough to combat anti-Semitism during this period.
Two weeks ago, Columbia President Nemat Shafik resigned from her post, citing this “time of crisis,” following the example of her counterparts at the University of Pennsylvania, Elizabeth Magill, and Harvard, Claudine Gay, months earlier.