In recent developments at Columbia University, a new disciplinary office called the Office of Institutional Equity has been actively investigating students involved in activities perceived as critical of Israel. Among these students is Maryam Alwan, a senior who penned an op-ed in the university’s student newspaper advocating for divestment from Israel. During a trip to Jordan, she received an email accusing her of harassment for this action. Her article, which also suggested cutting academic ties with Israel, was labeled as discriminatory, leading to potential sanctions ranging from a warning to expulsion.
Columbia’s intensified scrutiny has targeted numerous students engaging in activities supportive of the Palestinian cause. Notices have been issued for actions such as participating in unauthorized protests or sharing pro-Palestinian social media content. The sweep of investigations extends to various incidents, including the posting of “Wanted” style stickers of trustees off-campus and hosting art exhibitions focused on the previous year’s campus building occupation. Jewish students have also been scrutinized for their participation in these activities.
The university’s approach has garnered criticism from faculty, students, and free speech advocates who suggest that the administration is yielding to pressures from President Donald Trump’s administration to curtail dissenting voices on campus. Legal representatives for affected students argue that Columbia prioritizes its financial interests above all else, as federal agencies have threatened significant funding cuts to the institution.
Moreover, Columbia faces pressure from House Republicans, who are examining the university’s disciplinary mechanisms. They have requested detailed records of student disciplinary actions linked to protests and activities deemed as hostile to the U.S. military. However, the university remains tight-lipped about the specifics of information shared with Congress.
The Office of Institutional Equity, established last summer, enforces a policy that could deem criticism of another country’s policies as harassment if discriminatory in nature. Some students feel forced into secrecy, as they must sign non-disclosure agreements to view case materials, thus keeping the committee’s operations clandestine.
Conversations with students indicate a lack of clarity on what constitutes harassment, with investigators probing for information about individuals affiliated with pro-Palestinian groups. Some, like Mahmoud Khalil, a graduate student and former negotiator for pro-Palestinian events, faced multiple allegations without direct involvement in the related activities.
The fallout from these investigations could potentially revive the pro-Palestinian momentum that swept through campuses in recent years. Recently, protests erupted at Barnard College, linked to Columbia, over the expulsion of students for disrupting an Israeli history class. Multiple arrests followed an attempt to occupy college buildings.
