Hundreds call for Columbia University administrators to resign after antisemitic texting scandal: Petition

Hundreds of students, faculty, staff, and alumni are calling for the resignations of four senior administrators at Columbia University after text messages revealed apparently antisemitic sentiments in light of pro-Palestinian protests on campus.

The petition , which began being circulated Tuesday, appears to have garnered more than 600 signatures so far, and it calls on university president Minouche Shafik and the Board of Trustees to relieve four deans of their duties after text messages showed the deans downplaying concerns of Jewish students on campus and claiming that some Jewish leaders were using the protests to raise money.

"All four of the deans implicated must be held accountable and terminated. This incident exposes a profound issue at Columbia that cannot be dismissed," the letter stated (italics in original). "Failure to address this quickly can only be interpreted as a lack of seriousness and urgency in dealing with campus antisemitism within Columbia’s administration. Columbia University must deliver an immediate and unambiguous message that antisemitism will not be tolerated."

The original author of the letter is unclear. However, the petition is the latest sign of upheaval at a school that has struggled to respond to disruptive pro-Palestinian protests on its campus for months.

Signatories are calling on Columbia College dean Josef Sorett, vice dean and chief administrative officer Susan Chang-Kim, undergraduate student life dean Cristen Kromm, and associate dean for student and family support Matthew Patashnick to step down after an inquiry from the House Education and Workforce Committee revealed text messages in which the four appeared to mock the concerns of Jewish students during a panel discussion about antisemitism on campus, according to the petition.

The school confirmed to the Washington Examiner that three of the deans are on administrative leave pending an investigation, and that Sorett would remain at his post but recuse himself from issues concerning the investigation. Columbia has not responded to a request for comment regarding the petition.

Sorett issued an apology on June 14, which the petition described as "weak-hearted"

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"Sorett’s response failed to recognize the severity of the situation and accepted no responsibility for his own participation in the text exchanges or his singular responsibility for setting the standard by which the College operates," the letter said.

The four administrators were caught in a text thread calling Brian Cohen, leader of the school's center for Jewish life, "such a problem" and claiming that Cohen "knows exactly what he’s doing and how to take full advantage of this moment. Huge fundraising potential." They also said the concerns of Jewish students come from "such a place of privilege."