âWe have begun suspending students as part of this next phase of our efforts to ensure safety on our campus,â a Columbia University spokesman said.
Columbia University has started suspending students who have defied the universityâs order to dismantle an encampment protesting Israelâs military operation in Gaza, according to a spokesperson.
In letter circulated on the morning of April 29, Columbia told protesting students to leave their tent encampment by 2 p.m. that day or face suspension.
âIt is important for you to know that the university has already identified many students in the encampment,â states the letter, a copy of which was obtained by The Epoch Times. âIf you do not leave by 2pm, you will be suspended pending further investigation.â
âWe will continue until our demands are met. We will not be intimidated,â the group said.
The Columbia spokesperson said in his statement at around 5 p.m. that the encampment violated various university policies and that once disciplinary action was initiated against students, the severity of punishment would be determined based on the nature of the offense.
âNotice to Encampmentâ
The letter to protesting students, entitled âNotice To Encampment,â said that talks between university officials and student protest leaders were at an impasse and the unauthorized encampment and associated disruption to the campus is creating an âunwelcoming environmentâ and violates a number of policies, including around disruptive behavior and harassment.
Officials said in the letter that Columbia would provide an alternative venue for demonstrations after the exam period is finished. They added that, if the encampment is not removed, officials will initiate disciplinary procedures against students involved in the encampment, starting with suspension but possibly even leading to expulsion.
âPlease promptly gather your belongings and leave the encampment,â the letter reads. âIf you voluntarily leave by 2 p.m., identify yourself to a University officials, and sign the provided form where you commit to abide by all University policies through June 30, 2025, or the date of the conferral of your degree, whichever is earlier, you will be eligible to complete the semester in good standing (and will not be placed on suspension) as long as you adhere to that commitment.â
Officials said they hoped the protesting students would sign the form and leave the encampment by the deadline. They warned that those who refused to leave and sign the form promising to comply with the schoolâs policies and agreeing to be put under a period of disciplinary probation, may face a range of actions.
âSanctions include probation, access restriction, suspension for a term or more and expulsion,â the letter reads.
Mr. Chang clarified in his update that students who refuse to sign the form and leave the encampment âwill be placed on suspension, ineligible to complete the semester or graduate, and will be restricted from all academic, residential, and recreational spaces.â
Itâs unclear what other actions the school was prepared take with respect to the encampment if the protesters remained past the deadline. Last week, two deadlines Columbia imposed on protesters to remove their tents slipped without an agreement, with officials citing progress in talks.
âHostile Environmentâ
So far, efforts to dismantle the encampment have failed.
Ms. Shafik has faced an outcry from many students, faculty, and outside observers for summoning New York City police to take down the unauthorized encampment, resulting in more than 100 arrests.
Protesters have vowed to keep their encampment unless three demands are met: divestment from Israel, transparency in Columbiaâs finances, and amnesty for students and staff disciplined for taking part in the protests.
Ms. Shafik said in her Monday statement that Columbia would not divest from Israel but that the university has offered to publish a process for students to access a list of its direct investment holdings, in the interest of transparency. Columbia has also offered to make investments in health and education in Gaza. And the letter sent to protesters promises an amnesty of sorts.
She said that the campus has been roiled by divisions over the war in Gaza and, despite the fact that the school has provided space for protests and vigils that did not disrupt academic life, the encampment has gone too far.
âWe must take into account the rights of all members of our community,â she wrote. âThe encampment has created an unwelcoming environment for many of our Jewish students and faculty. External actors have contributed to creating a hostile environment in violation of Title VI, especially around our gates, that is unsafe for everyoneâincluding our neighbors.â
âWith classes now concluding, it represents a noisy distraction for our students studying for exams and for everyone trying to complete the academic year,â she continued, adding that Columbia would allow protests to continue on campusâby application with two-daysâ notice in authorized locationsâafter the exam period and commencement.
âWe have no intention of suppressing speech or the right to peaceful protest,â Ms. Shafik wrote, adding that the protesting students had been asked to commit to following the universityâs rules, including those on the time, place, and manner of demonstrations.
âWe urge those in the encampment to voluntarily disperse,â she added.
It comes as a group of 21 House Democrats criticized the âanti-Israel, anti-Jewishâ encampment at Columbia in an April 29 letter to the schoolâs trustees.
âAs a result of this disruption on campus, supported by some faculty members, many students have been prevented from safely attending class, the main library, and from leaving their dorm rooms in an apparent violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.â
The group, led by Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) and Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.), is different from calls condemning the protests that have mostly come from GOP leaders. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Republican colleagues visited the campus last week and called for Ms. Shafik to resign.
Chase Smith contributed to this report. This article has been updated with information about the encampment continuing past the deadline, and with the Columbia spokespersonâs remarks.
Original News Source Link – Epoch Times
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