Third professor must also be “terminated” in accordance with the lumni petition’s provisions after the” LMAO” text.
Provost Angela Olinto wrote in a school message on Monday that Columbia University has fired three of its major officials after they were exposed mocking Israeli leaders and students at a new hatred section.
However, some students have expressed indignation that Columbia College Dean Josef Sorett, who also was involved in the officials ‘ text message discussions, may be in his position.
On Monday, Olinto wrote three officials were “permanently removed” from their posts and remain on left as a result of an “incident” during Reunion Weekend. The note does not go into specifics about whether they have been fired, demoted, or faced another challenge.
Late last month, after a number of party texts that were revealed by the House Education Committee and Washington Free Beacon reports, Vice Dean Susan Chang- Kim, Dean of Undergraduate Student Life Cristen Kromm, and Associate Dean for Student and Family Support Matthew Patashnick were placed on leave after making important and mocking remarks about an hatred screen during the weekend event titled” Jewish Life on Campus,” they were asked to make them leave.
” Their conduct was wrong and contrary to the mission and values of our institution”, Olinto wrote.
University President Minouche Shafik also addressed the issue in a campus- wide email Monday, saying the administrators ‘ texts were “antithetical” to Columbia’s values.
According to Shafik,” This incident revealed behavior and sentiments that were unprofessional and disturbingly touched by traditional antisemitic tropes.” These sentiments, whether they were intended or not, show a lack of seriousness about the concerns and experiences of members of our Jewish community.
Additionally, Shafik added that in the fall, university leaders will develop a “vigorous” antisemitism training program for faculty and staff.
In the interim, Olinto promised Sorett would receive a separate email about his role in the text messages.
He has expressed regret and accepted full responsibility, and he is committed to working with others to bring about change in the community and take lessons from this situation to prevent similar events. He has also reached out to leaders of our Jewish community for their partnership”, Olinto wrote.
Alumni claim Sorett should also be “terminated.”
A new petition signed by alumni, students, and employees is calling for his termination. It describes his apology as “weak- hearted” and says he “actively joined his colleagues in mocking the panelists”.
In one exchange, Chang- Kim referred mockingly to a male speaker, presumably campus Hillel Director Brian Cohen, as “our hero”, according to text messages published by the U. S. House committee.
Sorett responded,” Lmao”.
A spokesperson involved with the petition told The Fix on Monday Sorett’s” Lmao” text was a” catalyst” for many alumni.
Young and old, Jewish and non, alumni drafted the petition together because they were so “outraged at the behavior of the dean’s office” and the “rumblings” that Sorett would remain in his position, said the spokesperson, who asked not to be named because of their connections to the university.
How can a student be comfortable visiting the dean’s office knowing that he and his staff are joking about the situation of Jewish students behind their backs? the spokesperson said. ” ]It’s ] entirely unacceptable”.
The petition, dated July 2, also urges Columbia to remove the other three administrations. It had more than 1, 300 signatures early Monday afternoon.
Deans accused Jewish leaders of being’ privilege]d ] ‘
One part of their text message exchange shows administrators criticizing Brian Cohen, the leader of Barnard Hillel, Columbia’s Jewish center, a House news release states.
Chang- Kim described him as” such a problem!! “!
” Painting our students as dangerous”, she wrote.
Patashnick responded that Cohen “knows exactly what he’s doing and how to take full advantage of this moment.” Huge fundraising potential”.
Kromm “liked” the comment, and Chang- Kim responded,” Double Urgh”.
” Amazing what$$$$ can do”, Kromm wrote at a different point in the conversation.
In another part of the exchange, Patashnick criticized Jewish leaders for making a case to expand safe spaces on campus, writing,” They will have their own dorm soon”.
Chang- Kim replied,” Comes from such a place of privilege … hard to hear the woe is me”.
Kromm wrote:” Yup. I do n’t agree with the notion that Jews who support non-Israel have no place to come together.
At another point, Chang- Kim wrote,” I’m going to throw up”.
MORE: Top Columbia administrators caught secretly mocking panel on antisemitism
Last week, The Fix to Kromm and Patashnic sent automatic responses stating they were” currently out of the office without regular access to email.” The Fix was unable to locate Chang- Kim’s contact information.
Additionally, Sorett did not respond to a number of emails asking for comment recently.
He did apologize in a statement to the Spectator last week through a representative, but he also claimed the photos of their texts were an “invasion of privacy.”
The Fix contacted the university media office several times over the past week with phone and email inquiries regarding the texts, the House investigation, the petition, and its antisemitism policy.
U. S. House Education Committee demands accountability
The New York University was also made to do by members of the U.S. House committee.
According to Chairwoman Virginia Foxx in the news release,” Jewish students deserve better than to have harassment and threats against them dismissed as’privilege’ and Jewish faculty members deserve better than to be mocked by their colleagues.” ” These text messages once more demonstrate the necessity of serious accountability on Columbia’s campus.”
The university provided the text message exchanges to the committee, according to the North Carolina Republican, after the Beacon’s initial report was released.
According to the House news release, the exchanges offer” a small but clear window into the administrators ‘ determination to denigrate the antisemitism on campus.”
In the past week, The Fix has also emailed Cohen and campus Rabbi Yonah Hain for comment, but they have not responded.
Students, staff, and alumni have consistently criticized Columbia’s leaders for how they handled antisemitism and pro-Palestine protests on campus over the past year.
Many have been avoiding questions. The majority of the university Board of Trustees disregarded The Fix‘s requests for comment on the situation in May, including two who hung up the phone.
MORE: Police haul away 100 pro- Palestinian protesters at Columbia, Ilhan Omar’s daughter suspended
IMAGE: Columbia Jewish Alumni Association
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