Columbia Trustee Takes School to Task Over Campus Anti-Semitism: 'Disturbing Lack of Moral Clarity'

Columbia University has demonstrated a "disturbing lack of moral clarity" and "tarnished" its reputation "for the foreseeable future" by failing to address anti-Semitism on campus, a member of the school's board of trustees, Shoshana Shendelman, wrote in a letter to Columbia leaders.

"The conduct which has been exhibited by Columbia leadership in recent months—particularly the failure to decisively address antisemitism on campus—demonstrates a disturbing lack of moral clarity and poses a significant threat to the safety and well-being of Jewish students, faculty, and the broader community of Columbia University," Shendelman wrote in the Monday letter, first reported by CBS News.

"It is evident that the ongoing failures have resulted in substantial legal and financial ramifications, and our university's reputation has been tarnished for the foreseeable future," Shendelman continued. "Unequivocally, this is the direct consequence of Columbia's failure to adhere with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act."

Shendelman delivered her letter just days after the House Committee on Education and Workforce published texts in which acting Columbia president Claire Shipman called to remove the Jewish trustee and add an "Arab" to the board.

"We need to get somebody from the middle east [sic] or who is Arab on our board," Shipman, who then served as the co-chair of Columbia’s board, wrote in a Jan. 17, 2024, message. A week later, she told a colleague that Shendelman, one of the board’s most outspoken critics of campus anti-Semitism, had been "extraordinarily unhelpful," adding, "I just don’t think she should be on the board."

Shipman privately apologized to a small group of colleagues and donors shortly after her texts were published. In her letter, Shendelman demanded a public apology from Shipman and board of trustee co-chairs David Greenwald and Jeh Johnson.

Such an apology doesn't appear to be on the cards. A university spokeswoman noted Shipman’s private message and told the Washington Free Beacon that Columbia’s leadership is "deeply committed to combatting antisemitism on campus."

"They remain fully focused on ongoing discussions to reach an agreement with the Joint Task Force to Combat Antisemitism to restore the University’s critical partnership with the federal government," the spokeswoman said.

Columbia has spent months negotiating with the Trump administration as the university angles to restore $400 million in federal funding cuts over campus anti-Semitism. For Shendelman, those negotiations should end with Columbia agreeing to the administration's demands.

"Columbia must fully accept the Trump administration's demands regarding antisemitism and Title VI compliance," Shendelman wrote in her letter. "It is the right thing to do for our students, and it is undeniable that the current situation at Columbia is untenable. Thus, our Board must work promptly and unconditionally with the United States Federal government."

In addition to Shipman's private apology, Greenwald and Johnson sent Shendelman a private note on Wednesday, telling her they are "deeply sorry about the internal communications that referred to you, that certain members of Congress chose to make public."

"We are at a crucial stage in our negotiations with the federal government to resolve its pending investigations, and we are actively working to try to reach a settlement of those matters soon," they wrote. "All our Trustee discussions, whether about the government resolution or otherwise, must be held in complete confidence by all Trustees."

Shendelman also requested to be "renewed for a second term as a Trustee, should I elect to continue my service." She asked for a response from the board within 48 hours.

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