The past week has been unlike any other in Columbia's history. It has tested our resilience, our civility, and our values. Much has been said about Columbia by people inside and outside of our community, sometimes without full context, including statements attributed to me from internal meetings. I regret any confusion and inconsistent statements and want to make sure our position is clear as we go forward.
Last week, Columbia reported a series of decisive actions we have been taking and will take to combat antisemitism and all forms of discrimination and harassment, including immediately strengthening our processes for enforcement of rules on demonstrations, identification and masking. Implementation of these measures is fundamental to sustaining our academic mission without disruption and ensuring the safety of Columbia’s students and campuses.
Let there be no confusion: I commit to seeing these changes implemented, with the full support of Columbia’s senior leadership team and the Board of Trustees.
We need to continue to work to restore the public’s faith of the fundamental value of higher education for the nation and the longstanding partnership between ground-breaking universities like Columbia and the federal government.
Any suggestion that these measures are illusory, or lack my personal support, is unequivocally false. These changes are real, and they are right for Columbia.
Sincerely,
Katrina Armstong
Interim President, Columbia University in the City of New York
