Protests at Columbia and other schools escalate

Follow the latest live coverage about pro-Palestinian protests on US college campuses here.

New York Rep. Ritchie Torres, a Democrat, criticized Columbia University President Minouche Shafik, saying she has “chosen to surrender control of Columbia to an antisemitic fringe.” Torres also said canceling in-person classes is “an admission of failure” by Shafik.

“If you cannot ensure the safety of your students, then you have no business serving as President of any university, let alone the alma mater of Alexander Hamilton,” Torres said in a statement. “What Columbia University needs is not an appeaser of antisemitism but a leader who will fight with moral clarity against it.”

He continued, “That Columbia University has failed its Jewish students so profoundly is an indelible stain on the soul of the institution. If the President of Columbia University cannot lead with moral clarity, then she should step aside for a true leader who can and will.”

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Tuesday condemned antisemitism amid ongoing protests at Columbia University and other colleges across the US. 

“The antisemitic rhetoric and intimidation deployed by some students and outside protestors on college campuses in New York City and beyond is completely unacceptable and deeply disturbing,” Jeffries, a Democrat who also represents New York, said in a statement. “Every American has the constitutional right to free speech and peaceful assembly in the public square. However, intentionally targeting Jews or any community on the basis of race, religion or ethnicity, acts of harassment and the use of physical violence will never be tolerated.” 

He also said the effort to crush antisemitism and hatred “is not a Democratic or Republican issue. It’s an American issue that should bind us all together.”

“We will continue to do everything possible to protect the Jewish community during this very fraught moment, fight the cancer of antisemitism and redouble our efforts to bring communities together,” Jeffries said.

Former President Donald Trump said Tuesday he thought leadership at Columbia University made a “grave mistake” in making all classes at its main campus hybrid until the spring semester ends after days of tense demonstrations on campus.

“What’s going on with the colleges where they’re closing Columbia now? I mean, it’s just crazy. Columbia should gain a little strength, a little courage and keep their school open. It’s crazy. Because that means the other side wins,” Trump told reporters at Trump Tower as he took a few questions after greeting former Japanese prime minister Taro Aso.

 Trump said, “The people running Columbia have made a grave mistake.”

Barnard President Laura Rosenbury confirmed in a statement yesterday that students on interim suspension “no longer have access to most Barnard buildings.”

She said Dean Leslie Grinage is “helping students find alternative housing arrangements when needed.”

The statement also said Barnard will consider lifting suspensions for students who have an otherwise clean record and commit to a probationary period.

A Barnard student alleged on X that she was suspended and evicted from housing.

Correction: This post has been updated to correct President Rosenbury’s first name. It is Laura.

House Speaker Mike Johnson will head to Columbia University Wednesday to visit with Jewish students and deliver remarks and hold a press conference “regarding the troubling rise of virulent antisemitism on America’s college campuses,” according to his office.

This comes as pro-Palestinian protests have rocked major American universities, including Columbia. After days of tense demonstrations, Columbia University announced it is moving to mostly hybrid classes on its main campus until the end of the semester, April 29.

New York House Republicans have called on Columbia president Minouche Shafik to resign immediately for failing to crack down on the protests.

Students, faculty and staff at the University of New Mexico started protesting Monday in support of Gaza and have done so peacefully, the university said in a statement Tuesday. 

On Tuesday, “members of our UNM community assembled at the UNM Duck Pond in peaceful protest,” the statement said. Some people brought tents and sleeping bags, which is in violation of school policy, and campus police told them citations or arrests would occur if not removed, they said. 

“Police monitored the situation throughout the evening, without incident, and around midnight advised those who were remaining that their tents needed to be taken down or they would be cited,” the statement said. “The tents were eventually taken down, with some people remaining at the duck pond.”

As of Tuesday, there are about a dozen people at the duck pond with banners and chairs, but no tents, the statement said, and the university continues to monitor the situation. 

“The University is grateful to our entire community for modeling how protests can occur in a way that both upholds freedom of expression and ensures a safe and productive campus environment for everyone,” the statement said. 

Students occupying the West Lawn at Columbia University said Tuesday they are planning on staying there until the university meets their demands of divestment.

They are asking for a “complete divestment” from anything related to Israel, financial transparency into the university’s investments and amnesty from any disciplinary measures for students participating in the protests.  

“This is what we are here for – calling for an end to genocide and for Columbia to financially divest from the violent Zionist settler entity,” a student who identified themself as W told CNN. 

“We are putting our principles into action, and we plan to continue to do so by being here every day until Columbia divests.” 

The group is in negotiations with the university through a legal negotiator, said student organizer Khymani James, who declined to share details of the negotiations.  

When asked about the encampment making Jewish students feel unsafe on campus, W said protesters try their best “to make sure everyone feels safe in the encampment,” and their community guidelines “preach and hope for peace continuously.” 

Columbia University officials warned Tuesday that the ongoing encampment is in violation of university rules — but school leaders have not given specifics on disciplinary actions.

“The safety of our community is our number one priority,” university spokesperson Ben Chang said in a press conference Tuesday afternoon. “That includes the safety of the encampment that continues to grow. We are watching this closely.”

University officials met with student organizers until 2 am ET Tuesday to discuss the situation, Chang said. “Columbia students have the right to protest but they are not allowed to disrupt campus life or harass and intimidate fellow students and members of our community,” he added.

Chang said acts of vandalism, reports of harassment and discrimination have all been reported during the ongoing protest.

Officials will not release the specifics of student suspensions as “disciplinary actions continue” on campus.

Harvard Yard is closed and people associated with the university require permission to be in the area, a CNN team on site reports, adding no demonstrators could be seen from CNN’s viewpoint. 

“Harvard affiliates must produce their ID card when requested. Structures, including tents and tables, are not permitted in the Yard without prior permission,” the sign posted on a gate says. “Blocking pedestrian pathways or access to building entrances is prohibited. Students violating these policies are subject to disciplinary action.”

As of Sunday, the university has limited access to Harvard Yard to those with school identification, the university confirmed to CNN Monday.

A few miles away at Emerson College, about 20 tents were set up in an alley leading up to the school with signs that read “Emerson Demands Ceasefire” and “from the river to the sea,” a phrase that demands equal rights and the independence of Palestinians, although in some cases is intended to call for the abolishment of Israel.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams said Tuesday authorities have identified “outside agitators” causing problems at the mostly peaceful student protests at Columbia, NYU and other schools in the city. 

“We can’t have outside agitators come in and be disruptive,” the mayor said at a news conference Tuesday.

“We need to address this while it’s a spark. Let’s not wait until it’s a blaze,” Adams said. The mayor’s administration will be meeting with the heads of universities Tuesday to go over best practices for how they can keep students protesting peacefully. 

A key part of that, he said, is keeping protesters who are not students off the campus. That may mean sharing intel by identifying some known protesters to the universities. 

CNN’s Chris Boyette contributed to this report.

President Joe Biden is “of course aware” of pro-Palestinian protests that have roiled college campuses across the country, the White House said Tuesday.

White House Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates told reporters traveling with Biden on Air Force One that the administration is “monitoring these situations closely,” taking the opportunity to condemn what he called “alarming rhetoric,” at some student protests.

“[The president]’s, of course, aware of the protests — we know that this is a painful moment for many communities, we respect that, and we support every American’s right to peacefully protest, that’s something that we have been consistent about,” Bates said.

“But as I said, when we witness calls for violence, physical intimidation, hateful, anti-Semitic rhetoric, those are unacceptable. We will denounce them. The president knows that silence is complicity and that’s why he uses the platforms he has to try and ensure that our fellow Americans are safe.” 

But he wouldn’t say what the administration thinks of some Republicans’ call to deploy the National Guard to respond to campus protests at Columbia University. Bates added that the decision to deploy National Guard members would fall to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul.

Passover is a Jewish holiday symbolizing emancipation. But this year, with the backdrop of the war against Hamas, still-missing Israeli hostages and devastating civilian causalities in Gaza, the celebration — and the conversations around it — will be more complex for many who will be partaking.

Rabbi Jan Uhrbach, the founding director of the Block/Kolker Center for Spiritual Arts at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York, told CNN she will host two Passover Seders this year.

“The whole ritual of the Seder is grounded in the notion that when we speak to each other in deep, holy ways, and we listen in deep holy ways, that’s what brings redemption,” she said. “It’s about uncovering the complexity of what we’re seeing. It’s about uncovering the struggles, the things that are hard to talk about. Not only because we worry that someone may disagree, but because we have trouble articulating what we ourselves may feel and believe.”

It’s important to remember that discussions at the Seder table could get contentious in part because people care, not because they want to hurt one another, she said.

“We human beings long for things to be simple, especially to be morally simple,” she said. “We want clear good guys and bad guys that enable us to feel like we are right. But the reality of morality isn’t like that. The reality of a moral life for a mature person is that we make complex choices.”

Rabbi Uhrbach says that this year’s Seder is ultimately about gratitude.

“We’re all here at the same table,” she said. “That’s what matters.”

Nine people were arrested Tuesday morning at the University of Minnesota’s Twin Cities campus after they formed an encampment that went against school policy, the university told CNN in a statement. 

The university’s Department of Public Safety received reports Tuesday morning of an encampment near the Northrop Mall on the Twin Cities campus, the statement said. Police arrived around 6 am local time and told those at the encampment “they were in violation of both University policy and state trespassing law,” they said. 

Police asked the group to disperse by 7 am and told they would be arrested if they stayed. Nine people remained who were arrested without incident, the statement said. 

The Faculty, Librarians, Alumni, Graduate Students, and Staff for Justice in Palestine at the University of Minnesota (FLAGS JP) posted video on their social media Tuesday showing the encampment in support of “unconditional solidarity with Palestine and demand an end to the genocide and apartheid.” CNN has reached out to the group for comment on the arrests. 

The university said in its statement it “supports and respects free speech through lawful protest” and “supports the rights of all members of our University community to speak and demonstrate peacefully.” 

In an email to students Monday, Barnard College President Laura Rosenbury said the “vast majority” of students on interim suspension do not have previous conduct violations and that Barnard will consider lifting suspensions and restoring access to campus for students who commit to a probationary period.

Barnard students were among the protestors suspended and arrested Thursday when the New York Police Department cleared the encampment on Columbia’s East Lawn.

Isra Hirsi, daughter of US Rep. Ilhan Omar, was among the Barnard students placed on suspension for participating in the protest encampment.

Students with previous violations will be addressed “thoughtfully through our conduct process,” Rosenbury wrote in the email, which was subsequently posted on the university’s website.

Barnard students on interim suspension are barred from campus but may use college services like health care, mental health counseling and academic guidance, Rosenbury wrote.

Barnard professors are able to permit students on interim suspension to attend class remotely.

“I strongly believe that exposure to uncomfortable ideas is a vital component of education, and I applaud the boldness of all of our students who speak out, but no student should fear for their safety while at Barnard, and no one should feel that they do not belong. We must always respect and protect one another, especially when we disagree.” Rosenbury wrote.

Over 20 tents have been set up in front of a chapel at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Tuesday. 

The tents display numerous Palestinian flags and signage demanding MIT stop providing “support for the Israeli Occupation Forces.” Another sign reads “liberated zone.” The area is currently quiet, and it appears most demonstrators are on their laptops working. 

The area is encircled by metal fencing, and police cruisers are parked near the tents where four officers are walking around on foot. 

US Education Sec. Miguel Cardona said Tuesday he is “deeply concerned” about incidents of antisemitism at Columbia University and pointed to a previously opened Civil Rights investigation into the university for violations involving antisemitic harassment.

“Antisemitic hate on college campuses is unacceptable. I am deeply concerned by what is happening at Columbia University. In November 2023, our Office for Civil Rights opened an investigation of Columbia involving Title VI,” Cardona wrote on X.

The Department of Education had previously announced it was opening an investigation into a number of institutions for “alleged shared ancestry violations” following allegations of antisemitic harassment. The investigations were launched under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which says universities and K-12 schools have a responsibility to provide all students with an environment free from discrimination.

“While we can’t comment on pending investigations, every student deserves to feel a sense of safety and belonging at school. Hate has no place in our schools. All education leaders must stand definitively against hate, antisemitism, anti-Arab, and anti-Muslim sentiment,” Cardona wrote Tuesday.

Democratic Rep. Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey on Tuesday said Minouche Shafik, Columbia University’s president, should do more regarding the protests at the school.

But he said “it’s up to the board of trustees” on whether Shafik should resign.

“The president of Columbia must act…Now it’s time for action, not just words,” Gottheimer told CNN’s Kasie Hunt on CNN This Morning. “This is a big moment for the president of Columbia and frankly for presidents across the country.”

“The question for all of these presidents is, ‘Will they step up to the moment and do the right thing?’ And that’s what we should expect from them: To act and not just to talk, not just for words. But actually for action and to make all students feel safe,” he said.

Gottheimer also said having students attend hybrid classes and stay home to feel safe “is not what should be expected at Columbia or any college.”

“I’m expecting the president of Columbia to step up and fix that. And the bottom line is there’s federal funding that goes to these universities… They have a legal obligation to protect all students under Title VI and that’s the expectation. We expect that from Congress out of these universities and I’m hoping they step up to the moment and they have to do so now.”

Asked if he would feel safe sending his children to Columbia University in the current environment, Gottheimer said: “After what I saw yesterday, I would be very concerned.”

He also said there should be Title VI investigations when it comes to situations similar to what is happening on campus.

Gottheimer was one of several lawmakers who walked across Columbia University on Monday to stand in solidarity with Jewish students. 

Pro-Palestinian protests continue to rock major American universities, prompting school officials across the country to take extraordinary steps to confront the growing crisis.

The protests, counter-protests, actions by college officials and demands from lawmakers underscore the unrest that has engulfed universities, leading many students, especially Jewish students, to fear for their safety as the Passover holiday is underway.

Pro-Palestinian protesters and their supporters – sometimes including faculty – are condemning crackdowns on protests and free speech, while from some students, parents, donors and lawmakers are pleading with administrators to take new steps to restore order.

In recent days, the on-campus demonstrations have attracted non-university-affiliated protesters to the campus gates, which student organizers have sought to distance themselves from.

As the protests continue, a growing sense of unease has spread among Columbia University’s Jewish community as they enter the approximately weeklong observation of Passover, a major Jewish holiday celebrating freedom.

Hagar Chemali, an adjunct associate professor of international and public affairs at Columbia University, told CNN, “If I had my child at Columbia, I also would tell them to go home.”

“It’s not just because of the tension on campus, it’s also because those protests on campus have invited extremists outside,” Chemali said, referring to non-student protesters who have been demonstrating near the campus.

Read more here.

The encampment on New York City’s Columbia University was lively Tuesday morning, with many students congregating in circles, eating and talking.

There is a substantial supply of food and water, organized in a buffet style on a row of plastic folding tables in the center of the lawn. Artwork, tarps and Palestinian flags decorate the hedges lining the perimeter. 

Before entering, students are reminded of the encampment’s guidelines, which are listed on a sign at the entrance to the lawn and titled, “Gaza Solidarity Encampment Community Guidelines.”

The encampment guidelines include not taking photos of people without their permission, not using any drugs or alcohol in the encampment and not engaging with counter protesters.

Signs on the perimeter of the lawn read, “Demilitarize education,” “Admitted students enroll in revolution” and “Globalize the intifada.”

One protester in the encampment told CNN Tuesday they are now adhering to specific media hours, from 2 pm to 4 pm ET, where designated students will speak to the press. He said they instigated this policy to mirror the Columbia-sanctioned media hours that occurred from 2 pm to 4 pm on Monday. 

The encampment began Thursday, the day of the arrest of 108 protesters on suspicion of criminal trespassing for camping out two nights on Columbia’s East Lawn, just opposite the current encampment.

On the rest of campus, Columbia Facilities employees continue to set up bleachers and chairs for the planned May 15 commencement ceremony.

Over 130 people were arrested at New York University at a pro-Palestinian protest Monday night, although an official number is still being tallied, an NYPD official told CNN.

The demonstrations haven’t been violent overall, except for a few bottles thrown at police officers, and almost everyone was arrested for trespass Monday, the official said.

The demonstrations are mostly student vs student, in comparison to the usual student vs government or institutions. That has posed a unique challenge for police, the official said. 

There is an element present at these demonstrations of what law enforcement has previously identified as “professional agitators,” or demonstrators who are known by police who always show up to stir things up, the official said.

The NYPD is not planning on making changes to staffing because of the protests, the official said. 

Taylor Romine contributed to this report.

A group of Jewish and non-Jewish students gathered at the Gaza protest encampment at Columbia University Monday evening to celebrate Seder, a ritual feast at the start of the Jewish holiday of Passover.

“Passover is the story of our escape from slavery from the land of Egypt and I think we need to recognize that on Passover, it’s important to stand up for oppressed people everywhere, whether they are Jewish or not,” said Columbia graduate student Jared Kannell.

Columbia student Cameron Jones told CNN: “I am Jewish and, to me, Passover symbolizes perseverance and resilience. I think this encampment represents those two ideals because we have seen the university take countless measures to try to suppress our student activism, and here is us persevering through that.”

Produced by CNN’s Hazel Tang, Maya Blackstone, Bryce Urbany and Henry Zeris.

The arrests of dozens of pro-Palestinian, pro-divestment activists at Yale University has not deterred protesters from uniting for another demonstration Tuesday.

Yale University police arrested 45 protesters Monday and charged them with criminal trespassing after they refused orders to leave, said police in New Haven, Connecticut.

About a dozen protesters remained Tuesday morning – some with sleeping bags in front of the school’s library. But Beinecke Plaza – the scene of Monday’s arrests – was closed and under police guard.

The rally echoed a spate of pro-Palestinian demonstrations unfolding across other college campuses.

Tensions have escalated at many US universities since the October 7 terror attack on Israel by Hamas, in which about 1,200 people were killed, and Israel’s subsequent war on Hamas in Gaza, which has since killed tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians, according to the enclave’s health ministry.

Read more here.

The New York Police Department shared a letter to social media on Monday that the department said came from New York University after protesters refused to comply with repeated requests to disperse from Gould Plaza on campus.

“Our officers responded to the location without delay and dispersed the crowd — making numerous arrests, as necessary,” NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Operations Kaz Daughtry said in a post on X.

In the letter, NYU said they considered “all protesters occupying Gould Plaza to be to be trespassers and we would like the NYPD to clear the area and to take action to remove the protesters,” the NYPD said in the post.

Protesters were active Monday at the campus of the University of California, Berkeley campus, but school officials say they are focused on academics and ensuring the protests don’t interrupt campus operations.

“With three weeks left in the semester, Berkeley is prioritizing students’ academic interests. We will take the steps necessary to ensure the protest does not disrupt the university’s operations. There are no plans to change the university’s investment policies and practices,” campus spokesman Dan Mogulof told CNN.

According to Mogulof, the attendees were pro-Palestinian protesters. 

He said about 100 people held a “relatively peaceful rally” earlier in the day and they began to set up tents around 12pm PT (3pm ET) in Sproul Plaza.

Sproul Plaza is one of the central areas on the school’s campus. 

The spokesman was unable to provide a count as to how many tents were set up in the plaza. 

Mogulof added, “We are getting reports from Jewish students who feel uncomfortable.”

Campus police were present and there were no arrests made earlier in the day, Mogulof said. 

California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt announced the closure of its campus Monday night “for the safety of the campus community as protesters continue occupying Siemens Hall” and will remain shut down through Wednesday. 

According to school officials, “the University is deeply concerned about the safety of the protesters who have barricaded themselves inside the building.” 

The university said it is “urgently asking that the protesters listen to directives from law enforcement that have responded and to peacefully leave the building.” 

This comes as tensions continue to rise on several US college campuses experiencing pro-Palestinian protests organized largely by students, CNN reported. 

“The campus community is advised to avoid the area of the building, as it is a dangerous and volatile situation,” the university message said.  

In person classes will be remote where possible but students should contact their instructors for guidance, the university said. 

Cal Poly Humboldt is one of three polytechnic universities in the California state university system and is located in Northern California near the Oregon border. 

CNN has reached out to local and state police for further information.  

A pro-Palestinian student organization at Harvard University was suspended for allegedly violating school policies amid protests on college campuses across the country, according to the student group and a source with knowledge of the suspension.

Harvard’s Palestine Solidarity Committee was suspended for cohosting events with non-recognized organizations, the source said.

The organization posted about the suspension on its social media pages Monday. 

“You can suspend our organization and threaten our students. But you will never silence our calls for divestment from apartheid, occupation & genocide,” a slide in the multi-photo post on X and Instagram read. “We call on the Harvard community to fight against repression and join the movement for Palestinian liberation.” 

A statement sent to CNN Monday by university spokesperson Holly J. Jensen said Harvard works closely with recognized student organizations to make sure they are following policies in the Student Organization Resource Guide. 

“The College is committed to applying all policies in a content-neutral manner and in close partnership with our student organizations. All student organizations are required to participate annually in training on these policies, and any organization found in violation of the policy is subject to corrective action,” the statement read.

Some New York University students and faculty members were arrested during protests on the campus of New York University Monday night, the New York Police Department confirmed to CNN.

NYU asked the NYPD to come on campus and “enforce the law,” according to a spokeswoman at the NYPD, though the spokeswoman would not confirm how many people had been arrested.

CNN has reached out to NYU for comment.

Earlier Monday afternoon, the school said some protesters had breached a barricade at Gould Plaza on school property, interfering with the safety and security on campus.

“Following a breach in the barriers set up at Gould Plaza, Fountain Walker, head of NYU Global Campus Safety, just delivered the following message to those congregating on the plaza: ‘The one safety requirement we made was that no additional protesters could enter Gould Plaza…,’” the school posted Monday afternoon around 3:30 pm ET.

“With the breach of the barricades early this afternoon, that requirement was violated, and we witnessed disorderly, disruptive, and antagonizing behavior that has interfered with the safety and security of our community,” the university said in another post. “We cannot tolerate people getting hurt…”

Classes at Columbia University’s main campus will remain hybrid until the end of the semester amid ongoing protests, Provost Angela V. Olinto said late Monday.

All courses on the Morningside main campus will be hybrid, “classroom technology permitting,” the updated guidelines posted online said.

The last day of classes is April 29, according to the university’s academic calendar. 

“Faculty in other classrooms or teaching spaces that do not have capabilities for offering hybrid options should hold classes remotely if there are student requests for virtual participation,” the guidelines detail. “If the class does not permit adapting to the remote offering format, we encourage faculty to provide other accommodations liberally to students who have requested support for virtual learning this week.”

Arts/practice-based programs will be in person with “generous accommodations supported by school deans and staff,” the guidelines said.

The Medical Center and Manhattanville classes will also be in person, but school officials will grant accommodations “based on religious reasons, or approved disability accommodations.”

“Safety is our highest priority as we strive to support our students’ learning and all the required academic operations,” Olinto said in the post. “It’s vital that teaching and learning continue during this time.”

New York University asked the New York Police Department to intervene during protests Monday night after intimidating chants and several antisemitic incidents were reported, the school said in a statement to CNN.

An initial protest of about 50 people began Monday morning on Gould Plaza on campus, NYU spokesman John Beckman said in the statement.

“This occurred without notice to the University, and without authorization,” the school said. “The University closed access to the plaza, put barriers in place, and made clear that we were not going to allow additional protesters to join because the protests were already considerably disruptive of classes and other operations in schools around the plaza.”

“Nonetheless we made no move to clear the plaza at that point because high among the University’s aims was to avoid any escalation or violence,” the school said. “So, the University was deeply disturbed when, early this afternoon, additional protesters, many of whom we believe were not affiliated with NYU, suddenly breached the barriers that had been put in place at the north side of the plaza and joined the others already on the plaza. This breach was in violation of directions from Campus Safety Officers and in violation of multiple University rules.”

“This development dramatically changed the situation,” the school said. “We witnessed disorderly, disruptive, and antagonizing behavior that has interfered with the safety and security of our community, and that demonstrated how quickly a demonstration can get out of control or people can get hurt. At one point, we explained to the protesters that they needed to disband in an hour, and there would be no adverse consequences.”

“Nevertheless, many refused to leave. We also learned that there were intimidating chants and several antisemitic incidents reported. Given the foregoing and the safety issues raised by the breach, we asked for assistance from the NYPD. The police urged those on the plaza to leave peacefully, but ultimately made a number of arrests.” 

“We will continue to support individuals’ right to freedom of expression, and, as we have said since October, the safety of our students and maintaining an equitable learning environment remain paramount.”

Columbia University members of the America Association of University Professors (AAUP) are expected to introduce a Resolution of Censure against Columbia President Minouche Shafik and other university officials for allegedly violating “the fundamental requirements of academic freedom…and her unprecedented assault on students’ rights,” according to the student-run campus news outlets Columbia Spectator and Bwog. 

According to Bwog, the resolution submitted Monday states that Shafik “ignored the opinions of the faculty and students on the Senate Executive Committee who unanimously rejected her request to summon armed New York City police onto our campus” and “falsely claimed” the students arrested posed a “clear and present danger to the substantial functioning of the University.” 

Along with Shafik, the general counsel, the chief operating officer, and the co-chairs of the board of trustees to the University Senate for review were also included in the resolution, Bwog reports. 

According to the largely symbolic resolution obtained by the outlets, it says that on April 17, Shafik testified before Congress that she was willing to fire and investigate faculty for alleged Title IX violations, which is a violation of “the norms, practices, policies, and protections upon which a university is founded.” 

The AAUP is calling for the censure of President Shafik — not her resignation — and a “recommitment to our core values on the part of our President, her administration, and the Board of Trustees.” 

David Lurie, president of the Barnard and Columbia chapter of AAUP and professor of Asian Humanities spoke to The Spectator, saying: “We want to be really clear that we are not calling for her resignation at this time.” 

“We want to work with her. We want her and her administration to turn back from the road that they’ve started down last week,” Lurie said.

A Columbia University spokesperson issued a statement to the New York Times on the matter that read: “President Shafik is focused on de-escalating the rancor on Columbia’s campus. She is working across campus with members of the faculty, administration, and board of trustees, and with state, city, and community leaders, and appreciates their support.”   

CNN has reached out to a university spokesperson for comment and AAUP for additional information.  

Columbia University President Minouche Shafik is under pressure from all sides. Some faculty members are slamming her decision to call in the NYPD last week to disperse a pro-Palestinian protest, even as others are demanding she invite police back to clear a revived encampment of protesters.

House GOP Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik and fellow New York Republicans wrote a letter to Shafik on Monday blaming her for the situation on campus and urging her to step down after less than a year at the helm of the prestigious university.

“Over the past few days, anarchy has engulfed the campus of Columbia University,” the lawmakers wrote.

Some Jewish students told CNN they don’t feel safe on campus at Columbia now.

“The campus has been an absolute disaster over the last couple of days. Jewish students are extremely scared and extremely frightened,” Jacob Schmeltz, a senior at Columbia, told CNN on Monday.

Schmeltz, vice president of the Jewish on Campus Student Union, said he decided to stay with family in New Jersey instead of celebrating Passover on campus as he has done at times in previous years.

“Jewish students have had enough and it’s gotten to the point that we feel safer off campus than on it,” he said.

Organizers of the campus protest – Columbia University Apartheid Divest and Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine – said in a statement, “We have been peaceful,” and distanced themselves from non-student protesters who have gathered outside the campus, calling them “inflammatory individuals who do not represent us.”

“We firmly reject any form of hate or bigotry and stand vigilant against non-students attempting to disrupt the solidarity being forged among students – Palestinian, Muslim, Arab, Jewish, Black and pro-Palestinian classmates and colleagues who represent the full diversity of our country,” the statement continued.