Three deans at Columbia University have lost their jobs over what the university called a disturbing text that “touches on archaic antisemitic tropes.” Columbia said the three are on indefinite leave, and will not return to their previous positions.
The three texted each other during a panel discussion about Jewish life on campus last May, mocking and belittling student complaints about antisemitism. The text was recently released by a congressional committee investigating antisemitism in Columbia, and was first reported by The Washington Free Beacon, a conservative website.
Susan Chang-Kim, a former vice dean and chief administrative officer dismissed the students’ complaints, texting that “coming from a place of privilege … it’s hard to hear my grief.”
Cristen Kromm, formerly the dean of undergraduate students, sent a text spitting out emojis and wrote, “It’s amazing what $$$$ can do.” Matthew Patashnick, formerly associate dean for student and family support, suggested Jews on campus are just trying “to take advantage of this moment. The fundraising potential is huge.”
Columbia President Minouche Shafik denied the comments were “unacceptable and deeply disturbing, expressing a lack of seriousness about the concerns and experiences of the Jewish community that are at odds with our University’s values.”
Indeed, the students call them especially annoying and painful, coming from people who are supposed to be responsive to their concerns about student life.
“It’s incredibly ironic and acutely painful that people tasked with ensuring students and families succeed continue to be deeply, deeply antisemitic,” said Columbia senior Eden Yadegar. He said he had brought a formal complaint to the dean’s office before and never received the response or resolution he wanted.
“It feels like we’ve been knocking on a door that wouldn’t open and now we know why,” Yadegar said. He is among a group of students who recently filed a lawsuit accusing Columbia of discriminatory behavior against Jewish students.
“These three are totally unfit to hold leadership positions in higher education,” said junior Elisha Baker, another Jewish student at Columbia. “It is disrespectful that (he) denies and ignores the experience of antisemitism of Jewish students, and, worse, shows contempt for the Jewish community.”
A fourth dean, Columbia College Dean Josef Sorett, was also involved in the text stream, but he apologized for his role last month and will remain on the job. He wrote to students on Monday, saying he was “sorry” what happened to a community that was “responsible for setting the culture and tone of staff.” He vowed to do “the work of healing and repair and rebuilding trust and responsibility,” noting that “while not intended, some of the text messages exchanged may recall antisemitic tropes.”
Baker called Sorett’s words “sad.”
“I struggle to understand why it is still so difficult for our administrators to unequivocally call out antisemitism,” Baker said. “The administration must do (…) to set clear standards and expectations regarding the treatment of Jews on campus.”
The three deans who were removed did not respond to requests for comment.
Columbia also on Monday announced new and “vigorous” antisemitism and anti-discrimination training for faculty, staff, and students starting this fall.
David Schizer, former dean of the law school and chairman of Columbia’s antisemitism task force, called it “a good start.” Columbia has “a real problem, said Schizer, who was also on a panel on Jewish life delivered by the three deans.
“This requires an “all-hands-on-deck” approach,” he said. “We have to change our culture.”
Columbia has been under fire since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war, when pro-Palestinian student groups denounced the university for what they viewed as supporting Israel while ignoring the suffering of Palestinians and criticized the dean who said they “obfuscated Palestinian resistance as ‘terrorism.’ “
As pro-Palestinian protests intensified in Columbia and when Jewish students complained of an increasingly hostile environment, the university faced a lot of pressure from students, alumni and Congress about how to handle everything. Columbia is now among the many schools currently facing federal investigations.