Columbia trustee demands Title VI compliance in anti-Semitism rebuke
A trustee at Columbia University recently criticized the school administration for its anti-Semitism response, saying that Columbia should take steps to comply with federal requirements.
In her letter, Shoshana Shendelman sharply criticized Columbia’s leadership for its handling of anti-Semitism on campus and warned of the serious consequences for the university.
A trustee at Columbia University recently criticized the school administration for its anti-Semitism response, saying that Columbia should take steps to comply with federal requirements.
The trustee, Shoshana Shendelman, sent a letter to the Columbia administration on July 7, according to CBS News. She is a scientist, biotech entrepreneur, and founder of multiple companies developing drugs for rare and underserved diseases, according to her biography on the school’s website.
In her letter, Shendelman sharply criticized Columbia’s leadership for its handling of anti-Semitism on campus and warned of the serious consequences for the university.
“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,” she said.
“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. Unequivocally, this is the direct consequence of Columbia’s failure to adhere with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act,” she continued.
Shendelman also urged Columbia’s leadership to comply fully with federal mandates on anti-Semitism and civil rights.
“Columbia must fully accept the Trump administration’s demands regarding antisemitism and Title VI compliance,” the letter noted. “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.”
Shendelman’s letter came days after a House committee published statements from Columbia President Claire Shipman requesting the removal of a Jewish trustee, according to The Washington Free Beacon.
Campus Reform has reported about a survey which found that 62 percent of Jewish students feel unaccepted for their religious identity at Columbia, 53 percent have faced discrimination, and only 34 percent feel a sense of belonging.
Campus Reform has contacted Columbia University and Shoshana Shendelman for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
