Columbia University has removed three administrators from their positions after they exchanged text messages that "disturbingly touched on ancient antisemitic tropes" during a forum about Jewish issues in May, according to a letter sent to the university community on Monday, The New York Times reported on Monday.
The administrators, while still employed by the university, have been placed on indefinite leave and will not return to their previous roles. Columbia President Nemat Shafik described the sentiments in the text messages as "unacceptable and deeply upsetting," stating they conveyed "a lack of seriousness about the concerns and the experiences of members of our Jewish community."
"The three staff members involved have been permanently removed from their positions at Columbia College and remain on leave at this time. Experienced staff in Columbia College and Columbia Engineering, as well as other University partners, will step up to support the College's operations in the near term while efforts proceed to rebuild the administrative and student life infrastructure for the future," Shafik said in a public letter.
The decision comes about a month after a conservative website published photos of some of the text messages sent by the administrators. It follows weeks of unrest at Columbia over the war in Gaza, with the university emerging as the center of a nationwide protest movement.
The three administrators involved in the text message exchanges are Cristen Kromm, formerly the dean of undergraduate student life; Matthew Patashnick, formerly the associate dean for student and family support; and Susan Chang-Kim, formerly the vice dean and chief administrative officer.
Josef Sorett, the dean of Columbia College, who also engaged in the text exchange, will remain in his post. University Provost Angela V. Olinto stated, "Dean Sorett and I will work together to mend relationships, repair trust, and rebuild accountability."
The decision to keep Dr. Sorett in his position has angered some alumni and community members. More than 1,000 individuals, including hedge fund investor Dan Loeb, have signed a petition demanding his removal as dean.
The incident, referred to by some Columbia alumni as "Textgate," occurred during a panel discussion titled "Jewish Life on Campus: Past, Present and Future" on May 31. The panel was held in the aftermath of student protests and congressional hearings addressing antisemitism on college campuses.
During the panel, the administrators exchanged text messages that were photographed by a person sitting behind Ms. Chang-Kim. The images were subsequently shared with The Washington Free Beacon, which published an article about them.
Some of the controversial messages included Dr. Patashnick texting that one panelist was "taking full advantage of this moment" with "huge fundraising potential." Ms. Kromm responded with two vomit emojis to a reference about an essay discussing the "community's normalization of Hamas."
In response to the incident, Columbia announced that beginning this fall, students, faculty, and staff will undergo required anti-discrimination training that will include a focus on antisemitism.
The sanctions against the college administrators have drawn attention from lawmakers in Washington. Virginia Foxx, a Republican representative from North Carolina who chairs the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, demanded that Columbia share the texts with the committee.
Jonathan Sobel, a recent chairman for the Columbia College Fund who signed the petition calling for Dr. Sorett's removal, told XXXXXXXX, "I was saddened by the texts but not surprised. For months, many of us had suspected that antisemitism at Columbia was widespread, accepted and existed at or near the highest levels."
The university's decision to remove the administrators while retaining Dr. Sorett highlights the ongoing challenges faced by educational institutions in addressing issues of antisemitism and maintaining a respectful campus environment.
