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☆ Opinion | Republicans Wanted a Crackdown on Israel’s Critics. Columbia Obliged.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-18 | by ( Michelle Goldberg | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Testifying before the same panel on Wednesday, she readily agreed with Republicans’ premise that pro-Palestinian activism at Columbia is shot through with anti-Jewish bigotry, and explained how, under her leadership, Columbia is cracking down. Fifteen students, she said, had been suspended, and six more were on disciplinary probation. If it had been up to her, she said, the stridently anti-Zionist professor Joseph Massad would never have gotten tenure. (Columbia later confirmed that his chairmanship was scheduled to end after this semester.) By bending over backward to be agreeable, Shafik emerged from the four-hour grilling largely unscathed.

Persons: Nemat Shafik, Mohamed Abdou, “, ”, Joseph Massad, Massad, Shafik, that’s, Claire Shipman, David Greenwald, David Schizer, Shipman Organizations: Harvard, University of Pennsylvania, Columbia, Hamas, Islamic

☆ Professor who Columbia president said was ‘spoken to’ for calling Hamas invasion ‘astounding’ says he wasn’t disciplined
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( Elisabeth Buchwald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

A university spokesperson confirmed that Massad was under investigation for allegedly making discriminatory remarks, as Shafik noted in her Wednesday testimony. Massad told CNN the investigation was “news” to him and he was not aware of it prior to Wednesday. The department chair did not respond, while the dean, Amy Hungerford, referred the inquiry to a university spokesperson who did not offer any comment. “Professor Massad has chaired his final meeting of the academic review committee,” a different Columbia spokesperson told CNN. Columbia Business School assistant professor Shai Davidai, who Shafik said was under investigation for harassment, told CNN that he has never spoken against students by name, only “pro-Hamas” student organizations and professors.

Persons: Minouche Shafik’s, Joseph Massad’s, Massad, ” Shafik, ”, Shafik, ” Massad, “, Amy Hungerford, Elise Stefanik, Mohamed Abdou, Shai Davidai Organizations: New, New York CNN — Columbia University, CNN, Columbia, Education, Workforce, African Studies, of Arts and Sciences, Republican, Arts and Sciences, Columbia Business School Locations: New York, Gaza, Israel, Middle Eastern, Columbia

☆ Columbia's president managed to avoid the missteps of other elite colleges in heated congressional grilling
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Nemat "Minouche" Shafik, Columbia's president, appeared before the Republican-led House Committee on Education and the Workforce on Wednesday. But there was a big difference between what those presidents said at their hearing and what Shafik said at hers. Related storyHarvard President Claudine Gay answered with, "It can be, depending on the context," while MIT President Sally Kornbluth said, "I have not heard calling for the genocide for Jews on our campus." In a similarly soft response, UPenn's president Elizabeth Magill responded, "If the speech turns into conduct, it can be harassment." AdvertisementIn Wednesday's hearing, Shafik also commented on a few controversial professors.

Persons: —, Elise Stefanik, Shafik, Israel's, Claudine Gay, Sally Kornbluth, Elizabeth Magill, Magill, Kornbluth, Mohamed Abdou, Joseph Massad, Massah, Stefanik Organizations: Service, Wednesday, Columbia, Republican, Committee, Education, New York, Business, Harvard, MIT, Gay, Street Journal, Street, Middle East Institute, Hamas, African Studies Locations: Israel, Gaza, UPenn, —, Dubai, Columbia's, South

☆ Three takeaways from the Columbia University president’s testimony on antisemitism
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( Matt Egan | Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Columbia University President Minouche Shafik tried to avoid the firestorm of controversy that pushed out two of the three university presidents who testified on Capitol Hill in December. While the other university presidents provided lawyerly answers that went viral, Shafik and her three Columbia colleagues all unequivocally stated that such calls would violate the code of conduct at Columbia. For instance, the Columbia president was asked by Rep. Lisa McClain whether mobs shouting “from the river to the sea” or “long live the intifada” qualify as antisemitic comments. Some people don’t.”Only after David Schizer, the co-chair of Columbia’s task force on antisemitism, indicated it would qualify as antisemitism did Shafik agree. Davidai called Shafik a “coward” in a fiery speech last year criticizing the university president for failing to quiet “pro-terror” voices at the school.

Persons: Minouche Shafik, Shafik, Shafik waffled, Lisa McClain, McClain, “, David Schizer, ” Shafik, Joseph Massad, Tim Walberg, Massad, Mohamed Abdou, Shai Davidai, Davidai, ”, Abdou, Eden Yadegar, CNN’s Elisabeth Buchwald Organizations: New, New York CNN, Ivy League, Columbia University, Harvard, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Pennsylvania, Columbia, ”, CNN, Columbia Business School Locations: New York, Columbia

This most recent wave of hate began with prejudiced comments obscured by seemingly righteous language. Days later, at a pro-Palestine rally, the Cornell associate professor Russell Rickford said he was “exhilarated” by Hamas’s terror attack. In an article, a Columbia professor, Joseph Massad, seemed to relish the “awesome” scenes of “Palestinian resistance fighters” storming into Israel. Most recently, over 100 Columbia and Barnard professors signed a letter defending students who blamed Israel for Hamas’s attacks. In recent days, some universities, including Cornell, have released statements denouncing antisemitism on campus.

Persons: didn’t, Russell Rickford, Joseph Massad, Barnard, Israel Organizations: Cornell, Cooper Union, New York University, George Washington University, Harvard, Palestine, Columbia Locations: Columbia, Israel, Palestine, Al, Aqsa

☆ Hedge fund billionaire Leon Cooperman: Students protesting Israel have ‘sh*t for brains’
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Hedge fund billionaire Leon Cooperman is blasting college students for protesting against Israel, joining a growing list of powerful university donors to speak out on the issue. “These kids in college have sh*t for brains,” Cooperman told CNN in a phone interview. Earlier this month, a Columbia University student who was hanging up posters in support of Israel was assaulted. Samantha Slater, a Columbia University spokesperson, declined to comment on whether the university plans to take disciplinary action against Massad. “Columbia is grateful to Mr. Cooperman for his years of generosity and service to Columbia Business School,” Slater said in a statement to CNN.

Persons: Leon Cooperman, ” Cooperman, “, “ It’s, I’m, ”, Cooperman, Israel, he’s, ” Joseph Massad, Samantha Slater, ” Slater, It’s, ’ they’re, CNN’s Reid Champlin Organizations: New, New York CNN —, Israel, CNN, Hamas, Fox Business, Columbia University, Ivy League, Columbia, Massad, Columbia Business School Locations: New York, Israel, United States, Bronx, Columbia, “, ”

☆ Billionaire who gave $25m+ to Columbia says students are stupid for not supporting Israel, threatens to stop donating
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A billionaire Columbia grad said college students have "shit for brains" for not supporting Israel. AdvertisementAdvertisementA billionaire who gave more than $25 million to Columbia University said students had "shit for brains" for not supporting Israel, and he may have to donate elsewhere unless he sees a "change.'" Leon Cooperman, the chairman and CEO of Omega Advisors and a 1967 graduate of Columbia Business School, made the comments during an appearance on "The Claman Countdown" on Fox Business on Wednesday afternoon. He was primarily referring to a walkout at Columbia University on Wednesday, where students stepped out of their classes to support Palestinians amid worsening violence in Gaza. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe hedge fund boss said he has given "probably about $50 million over many years" to Columbia University.

Persons: —, Leon Cooperman, Cooperman, Joseph Massad Organizations: Columbia, Service, Columbia University, Omega Advisors, Columbia Business School, Fox Business, Wednesday, Modern, Hamas Locations: Israel, Columbia, Gaza

☆ A Columbia professor called Hamas terror attacks 'awesome' and 'astounding' in an article. A petition for his removal has passed 34,000 signatures.
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Thibault Spirlet | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Columbia professor lauded Hamas "awesome" attacks on Israel and called them a "stunning victory." An online petition, signed by over 34,000 people, is calling for his "immediate removal." AdvertisementAdvertisementA Columbia professor who praised Hamas' "awesome" terror attacks on Israel in an online article is facing calls for his removal in an online petition that has now surpassed 30,000 signatures. AdvertisementAdvertisementPlatek added: "We call on Columbia University to hold Massad responsible for his comments and immediately remove him from the Columbia faculty." Columbia University did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment made outside office hours.

Persons: —, Joseph Massad, Platek, Massad, David, Israel, Anthony Weiner Organizations: Service, Modern, Columbia University, Hamas, Columbia, Mission, North, Columbia's, Watch, Massad, Israel Defense Forces Locations: Columbia, Israel, USA, East

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