Columbia University's Faculty of Arts and Sciences has passed a resolution of no confidence in the university's president, Nemat Shafik, stating that she violated "the essential requirements of academic freedom and shared governance" and participated in "an unprecedented assault on student rights." This step, while largely symbolic, highlights the anger Dr. Nemat Shafik is facing on campus as she attempts to recover from her divisive handling of pro-Palestinian protests and her public commitment before a congressional committee last month to punish several faculty members for expressing anti-Israel views, which some have claimed were antisemitic.
The no-confidence resolution was introduced by the campus chapter of the American Association of University Professors, a professional faculty organization. Among the 709 faculty who voted, 65% supported the resolution while 29% opposed it. Six percent abstained from voting.
The resolution specifically criticized Dr. Shafik's decision to call the police to clear a pro-Palestinian student encampment on April 18, even after the university Senate Executive Committee unanimously requested her not to do so. It stated that she "falsely claimed" that the students posed "an imminent and clear danger to the core functioning of the university," arguing instead that they were peaceful.
It also noted that she violated academic freedom standards when she promised to dismiss faculty in their testimony before a congressional committee regarding antisemitism on April 17. The resolution stated: "The president's (Nemat Shafik) choices to disregard our laws and standards regarding academic freedom and shared governance, and the arrest of our students and imposition of a lockdown on our campus with police presence, have severely undermined our trust in her."
Dr. Shafik has not publicly appeared before students since she called the police to disperse protesters from Hamilton Hall, one of the campus buildings, on April 30, apart from a video posted online by the school this month addressing the broader university community. Due to security concerns, the main campus was kept in a partial lockdown for over two weeks, and the main graduation ceremony that she was supposed to preside over was canceled.
Ben Chang, a spokesperson for Columbia University, stated: "Nemat Shafik continues to consult regularly with members of the community, including faculty, administration, and trustees, as well as with state, city, and community leaders (...) She appreciates the efforts of those who are working alongside her on the long road ahead to heal our community."
