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Columbia Issues Final Antisemitism Report Detailing Classroom Harassment, Politicized Teaching

Columbia's acting president pledged to turn the findings into policy under pressure from a recent federal settlement.

Overview

  • The fourth and final task force report details cases in which Jewish and Israeli students were singled out in class, including being labeled “murderers.”
  • Instructors are cited for injecting anti-Israel rhetoric into courses unrelated to the Middle East, with examples in astronomy, introductory Arabic and feminist theory.
  • The report recounts protesters storming a class taught by a visiting Israeli professor and targeting the course for its focus on Zionism.
  • Investigators conclude Columbia lacks tenure-line Middle East scholars who present non‑anti‑Zionist perspectives and urge added viewpoint diversity on Israel and Zionism.
  • Recommendations emphasize enforcing anti-discrimination rules, providing religious accommodations and avoiding pressure on students to protest, with Acting President Claire Shipman saying the university will translate the guidance into policy following a major federal settlement earlier this year.