Columbia University's choice to transition its main campus classes to online delivery for the final weeks of the semester has sparked significant criticism, with detractors urging parents to seek tuition refunds from the administration. Unverified reports circulating on social media suggest that university authorities may employ the New York Police Department (NYPD) to disband the protest encampment on Tuesday night. Critics have lambasted the administration for what they perceive as capitulating to demands from anti-Israel student demonstrators, characterizing the response as weak and resulting in a de facto shutdown of the college due to widespread protests.
Provost Angela Olinto emphasized the importance of maintaining teaching and learning activities during this period while acknowledging the diverse conditions across campuses, outlining specific guidelines in a statement issued Monday night. Tensions had been escalating for months but intensified following the arrest of over 100 pro-Palestinian demonstrators who had occupied Columbia's upper Manhattan campus. Subsequent arrests of numerous protesters at various campuses, facing charges ranging from trespassing to disorderly conduct, further fueled the unrest. At New York University, 133 protesters were reportedly taken into custody late Monday, with all subsequently released with court summonses for disorderly conduct. Mayor Eric Adams highlighted instances where police officers were assaulted with projectiles during this week's protests, underscoring the priority of ensuring safety amid academic operations.
The decision has sparked frustration among students, who argue that the substantial fees they pay entitle them to full access to educational resources and facilities.
Meanwhile, Republican lawmakers and former White House officials have joined the chorus of criticism, faulting the university for its perceived failure to uphold an environment conducive to learning and quelling protests.
Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee accused the university of allowing anti-Israel demonstrators to propagate antisemitic rhetoric across campuses, advocating for parents to demand refunds and pursue legal action for breach of contract.
Governor Kathy Hochul and President Joe Biden, both Democrats, condemned the protests, denouncing the harassment and rhetoric as reprehensible and affirming every student's right to safety.
Former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer criticized the university's leadership as weak, advocating for a fully open campus without remote classes and the expulsion of disruptive students.
Elsewhere, protests and arrests unfolded at Yale University, the University of Michigan, the University of Minnesota, and California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt, underscoring the widespread nature of the demonstrations and resulting disruptions.
