Columbia University’s President, Nemat “Minouche” Shafik, strongly denounced antisemitism during a congressional hearing, following an attack by Hamas on Oct. 7. She expressed her commitment to confronting antisemitism directly and acknowledged the impact of the attack on the campus community. Shafik faced questions about her handling of antisemitism on campus, particularly regarding faculty members who made comments perceived as antisemitic. She condemned the statements made by a tenured professor, Joseph Massad, and stated that he had been spoken to.
During the hearing, Rep. Elise Stefanik pressed Shafik about why Massad was still listed as the chair of the academic review committee on Columbia’s website. Stefanik expressed concern about the professor’s continued role and asked for Shafik’s commitment to removing him from that position. Shafik stated that she would get back to Stefanik on the matter. The hearing also addressed comments made by another visiting professor, Mohamed Abdou, who expressed support for groups like Hamas and Hezbollah. Shafik stated that Abdou would not work at Columbia again.
Shafik’s testimony in Congress came after she declined to testify at a hearing in December due to scheduling conflicts. The hearing included testimonies from presidents of other universities who faced scrutiny for their responses to antisemitism and hate speech on campus. Shafik and her colleagues affirmed that calling for the genocide of Jewish people violates Columbia’s rules. They also addressed troubling chants that were distressing to the campus community.
Before her hearing, Shafik published an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal outlining what she planned to address in her testimony to Congress. She reflected on the challenges of dealing with the aftermath of the Hamas attack, especially on a campus known for its diverse student body and political activism. Shafik emphasized the importance of addressing antisemitism directly and expressed her personal commitment to combating it on campus. The hearing underscored the ongoing efforts of universities to address and prevent instances of hate speech and discrimination within their communities.
