Staff Reports
Six officials from Columbia University are now on the receiving end of subpoenas issued by the House Education and the Workforce Committee. The committee is calling them out for what can only be described as a master class in slow-walking a congressional investigation into the alarming rise of antisemitism at the prestigious Ivy League school. This isn’t just a bureaucratic hiccup; it’s a deliberate attempt to dodge accountability while students face an increasingly hostile environment.
Heading up the intervention is Representative Virginia Foxx from North Carolina, who recently assumed the role of chairwoman. With the seismic shift at the top of Columbia’s leadership—Interim President Katrina Armstrong just stepped in following the hasty exit of former President Minouche Shafik—one has to wonder if Columbia is in a state of denial or just plain disarray. Foxx has made it clear that Columbia should be stepping up to protect Jewish students, instead of making the investigation resemble an episode of a comedy where the joke is on those trying to get to the bottom of it.
🚨 Foxx Subpoenas Columbia in Antisemitism Investigation
"Columbia should be a partner in our efforts to ensure Jewish students have a safe learning environment on campus, but instead, university admin. have slow rolled the investigation…" @virginiafoxx https://t.co/lbxjBgCGsz pic.twitter.com/pGGLPCvBo8
— House Committee on Education & the Workforce (@EdWorkforceCmte) August 21, 2024
In a recently released report, the findings from Foxx’s committee revealed that despite numerous incidents, including the occupation of Hamilton Hall, not a single student has faced expulsion. This raises a red flag about the institution’s priorities—or lack thereof. It appears that Columbia’s disciplinary committee is playing a very different game—a game that seems to grant immunity to radical students whose antics disrupt college life.
What’s even more troubling is that Columbia has allegedly failed to provide crucial documents, including various messages and notes related to the investigation. This isn’t just negligence; it’s almost as if they’re playing hide-and-seek with the truth. Foxx pointed out the absurdity of having to issue subpoenas to get information that should have been voluntarily shared. Subpoenas are supposed to be a last resort, not a strategy for university administrations that prefer to sweep uncomfortable realities under the rug.
In light of recent events, Columbia joins the ranks of Harvard as institutions facing congressional scrutiny for their inadequate responses to antisemitism on campus. This investigation is quickly becoming an audit of academic integrity—or, in this case, a glaring lack thereof. The House committee is already looking at multiple universities, including the likes of Northwestern and Rutgers, as they unravel the tapestry of rising anti-Israel sentiment on campuses.
With a looming deadline set for Columbia to produce the requested documents, the question remains: will they rise to the occasion, or will they continue their dance of denial? As more subpoenas are issued and more reports come to light, it appears that the committee is determined to shine a spotlight on the troubling trends that have emerged in higher education. The stakes have never been higher, and it’s time for institutions like Columbia to stop dragging their feet and start taking a stand for all their students.
