Our Release of the Summer 2024 Campus Climate Survey from the Task Force on Antisemitism

Dear members of the Columbia community:

Last summer, Columbia and our Task Force on Antisemitism launched a survey to help us understand, with depth and rigor, how the campus climate of the 2023-2024 academic year affected our students’ feelings of belonging and inclusion. We knew we would find the results disturbing, but we also knew that such information would be necessary in order to move forward. Indeed, the results—that in the 2023-2024 academic year a majority of our Jewish students felt they were not accepted here because of their religious identity—confirm the undeniable and painful reality that we failed to adhere to our values and failed to meet the expectations we set for our campus community. We are also dismayed to learn that a majority of our Muslim students felt a distinct sense of alienation and lack of wellbeing. We can and we must do better.

The Task Force is releasing these survey results as they prepare to share their final report. You can read the survey and the Task Force’s findings.

As a proud alumna who has spent decades championing this institution, I found the results of this survey difficult to read. They put the challenges we face in stark relief. The increase in horrific antisemitic violence in the U.S. and across the globe in recent weeks and months serves as a constant, brutal reminder of the dangers of anti-Jewish bigotry, underscores the urgency with which all concerned citizens need to act in addressing it head-on, and the fact that antisemitism can and should be addressed as a unique form of hatred.

I will also say, though, that I appreciate the decision that the members of our Task Force on Antisemitism made to focus on our entire student population. Our efforts to improve the campus climate are strengthened by efforts to benchmark broadly, and to understand and address discrimination and harassment against other groups, including Muslim and Arab students, who, in many cases, believe their fears are being ignored or marginalized.

The data from this survey helps us understand what took place on our campus during the 2023-2024 academic year and reaffirms the need for the many changes we have implemented.

To be very clear, we have been aware of the extent of the immense challenges faced by our Jewish students for some time and have been working very hard to make the changes we know are necessary to improve the campus climate. These changes include new and expanded efforts to investigate complaints, improve our disciplinary processes, manage protests and demonstrations, prevent and address online harassment, and ensure the safety of our campus community. We have made a lot of progress since the 2023-2024 academic year, but we know there is still more work to be done.

We are committed to tracking these important measures of belonging in order to continue our efforts to understand and strengthen our campus climate. This critical survey data has been transferred to Columbia University’s Office of Planning and Institutional Research. As recommended by the Task Force on Antisemitism, we plan to readminister this survey going forward and also support a follow-up in-depth qualitative study to fill in gaps and produce actionable recommendations.

I am confident we can change this painful dynamic. I know this because we share a commitment to protect all members of our community. We owe it to our students—and to each other.

The work of self-study is hard and can be distressing. In a climate in which every incident, every tweet, every statement is magnified, seen by thousands, perhaps millions around the world, it can feel risky to reveal where we fall short. But that is the work of academic institutions. We must be able to evaluate ourselves honestly and to listen to critical feedback. This is essential to our ongoing efforts to understand where we must make improvements that will benefit all Columbians. We hope that the work of our Task Force on Antisemitism can serve as an example for other university communities grappling with this incredibly challenging issue.

I want to thank the members of our Task Force on Antisemitism for all their hard work, particularly Co-Chairs Ester Fuchs, Nicholas Lemann, and David Schizer. As always, I welcome the feedback and insights of all Columbians as we work to rebuild trust, strengthen our community, and rededicate ourselves to our mission.

Sincerely,

Claire Shipman
Acting President, Columbia University in the City of New York