(NewsNation) — A faculty group at Columbia University passed a vote of no confidence in school President Nemat “Minouche” Shafik over her handling of pro-Palestinian protests on campus.
About 709 members of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences participated in the vote, with 65% voting in favor of the no-confidence resolution, 29% voting against it, and 6% abstaining, the Columbia Spectator reported last Thursday. According to the Spectator, the Faculty of Arts and Sciences makes up about 20% of the university’s full-time faculty.
While the vote does not force Columbia to take any specific action, it does give an example of the criticism Shafik and other Columbia administrators have received since the protests started.
“Faculty discussion leading up to the vote was robust and civil; it reflected a range of views. We appreciated the collegiality and professionalism with which our faculty engaged in these discussions,” Arts and Sciences executive vice president Amy Hungerford wrote to the Spectator.
Ben Chang, a Columbia spokesperson, defended Shafik’s management in a statement to Politico, saying she consults “regularly with members of the community, including faculty, administration, and trustees, as well as with state, city, and community leaders.”
However, the Faculty of Arts and Sciences’ resolution notes that Shafik called in the New York Police Department to clear tent encampments created by protesters without asking the University Senate.
“President Shafik falsely claimed that the students who were arrested for protesting on April 18 posed a ‘clear and present danger to the substantial functioning of the University,’ when in fact they ‘were peaceful, offered no resistance whatsoever, and were saying what they wanted to say in a peaceful manner,’ according to the NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell,” the resolution stated. “Her actions have endangered these students’ welfare, and her draconian and disproportionate punishments have endangered their futures. These offenses culminated in a police action that has harmed our community and our reputation.”
The arrests and suspensions of student protesters at Columbia sparked similar demonstrations across the country. Students protested against their university’s investment in companies supporting Israel’s military actions as well as for a permanent cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war.
Some students have said they have concerns over the protests, arguing that some criticism of Israel has veered into antisemitism. Protesters have said, though, those engaging in antisemitism do not represent them and pointed out that many Jewish students are joining them in their cause.
Eden Yadegar, a Columbia student who is president of the university’s chapter of Students Supporting Israel, said while the university did handle the situation with “complete and utter fecklessness,” she does agree with the decision the administration made to let NYPD clear the encampments.
“(Shafik) has been completely neglectful and incompetent in handling the situation. But it isn’t just her. The institution is morally rotten,” Yadegar said, adding that Columbia has “failed to keep its Jewish students and non-Jewish students safe as well.”
Student protesters at Columbia have expressed that they do not feel safe at school as well, saying that they have faced antisemitism and Islamaphobia, including an instance where protesters at a pro-Palestinian rally were sprayed with a hazardous chemical. Palestine Legal filed a complaint in April alleging Columbia was discriminating against Palestinian students and those protesting for Gaza, NewsNation partner The Hill reported. The group announced earlier this month that the Department of Education is investigating the alleged anti-Palestinian discrimination at the university.
NewsNation anchor Marnie Hughes and NewsNation partner The Hill contributed to this report.