Ivy League President Called Out For Shielding Anti-Israel Professor

(ConservativeInsider.org) – The president of another Ivy League university was grilled by Congress over antisemitism on campus, and some Congresspeople are unhappy with her answers.

The President of Columbia University, Neman Minouche Shafik, appeared at a Congressional hearing on Wednesday, April 17th. Members of Columbia’s board of trustees as well as their antisemitism task force appeared at the hearing with Shafik as well.

In December 2023, the then-presidents of Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania, Claudine Gay and Liz Magill, appeared at a hearing in the House Committee on Education and Workforce. The public outcry after their appearances led to both women resigning within the weeks after the hearing.

Jewish students at Columbia University have reported dozens of antisemitic incidents on campus, including calls for the destruction of the state of Israel, swastika graffiti on campus, and invitations for members of known terrorist groups to speak on campus as well.

At the hearing, Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), the chair of the committee, accused Columbia of “gross negligence” for allowing those who want to promote antisemitic viewpoints and violence against Jewish people. Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI) pointed out that a professor of modern Arab politics at the university named Joseph Massad has described Israelis as “cruel and bloodthirsty colonizers.” Shafik claimed that Massad is “under investigation” by the university and has been removed from his position as chair of an academic review committee. Rep. Elise Stefanik noted that Columbia’s website still lists Massad as chair, asking if Shafik would make a “commitment” to removing him from that position, to which Shafik said yes.

Shafik claimed that student behavior policies have been revised in the wake of the October 7 attack on Israel and stated that 15 students were suspended while six received disciplinary probation for violating the new student policies. However, Rep. Foxx criticized Shafik for misleading the congressional committee and stated that so far, only two students have been suspended. President Shafik admitted that Columbia has work to do in order to deal with the issue of rising antisemitism on campus.