The Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Columbia University passed a resolution of no confidence in President Nemat Shafik, citing violations of academic freedom, shared governance, and an assault on student rights. The resolution, largely symbolic, was introduced by the American Association of University Professors and received the support of 65% of the faculty who voted. Criticisms against Dr. Shafik included her decision to involve the police in clearing a pro-Palestinian student encampment despite being advised against it and her promises to discipline faculty members for views deemed antisemitic. The resolution stated that Dr. Shafik’s actions had irreparably damaged confidence in her leadership.
Following the passing of the resolution, Dr. Shafik has not made any public appearances before students and has kept the main campus in a state of partial lockdown for over two weeks. While smaller graduation ceremonies took place smoothly, some students protested by wearing kaffiyehs and unfurling Palestinian flags. Calls for Dr. Shafik to resign were visible on a billboard truck, and protests continued at the ceremonies, with demands for the school to divest from companies working with Israel. Despite the protests, some students and faculty members expressed support for stricter security measures on campus in a separate open letter.
Dr. Shafik has been meeting privately with faculty and community members in an attempt to repair relationships and move forward, without resigning. A conciliatory note to students was published in the school newspaper instead of a graduation speech. While a resolution by the University Senate called for an investigation into Dr. Shafik’s actions, the Faculty of Arts and Sciences’ no-confidence vote was seen as a step towards rebuilding the university community and upholding core values of free speech and shared governance. The resolution was seen as a first step in charting a path forward for the university.
The resolution, which received overwhelming support from the faculty, marked the first time the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Columbia had issued a vote of no confidence in a president. While not a call for resignation, the resolution highlighted the need to address the issues raised by the faculty members and move towards rebuilding trust and upholding the university’s core values. The tensions at Columbia University have been fueled by Dr. Shafik’s handling of pro-Palestinian demonstrations and her public statements promising disciplinary action against faculty members, leading to a broader debate on academic freedom, shared governance, and student rights on campus.
