Administrators at prestigious American universities, such as New York University, Yale, and Columbia, found themselves struggling on Monday to calm their campuses amidst the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Despite their efforts, the campuses remained torn by the repercussions of the war.
Protesters on campus, coinciding with the start of Passover, demanded that their universities reduce their financial ties with Israel and its arms suppliers. This led to heightened tensions and concerns among the student body.
Many Jewish students faced a new wave of distress as some protests and chants turned into expressions of antisemitism, raising safety fears among the community. Faculty members also criticized the crackdown on peaceful protests, expressing concerns about the impact on academic freedom and open debate within the university.
Meanwhile, alumni and donors expressed their frustration over the situation, further adding to the turmoil on campus. Calls for the resignation of Columbia’s president, Nemat Shafik, emerged from some lawmakers in Congress, following her controversial attempts to address the situation, which only seemed to exacerbate tensions within the university.
