Announcements

Supporting Our Community

November 14, 2025
Photo of the statue of Alma Mater, a women in an Ancient Greek robe, with laurels on her head and a scepter in her hand.

Dear members of the Columbia community:

Last week, outside of our gates, one of our students was involved in a deeply troubling and frightening situation. An individual, unaffiliated with our University, targeted our student based on her identity. The perpetrator made derogatory comments regarding our student’s niqab and proceeded to harass and follow her down the street. Thankfully, our student, with the help of a friend, was able to extricate herself safely from the situation. She is, understandably, deeply shaken, and the University is offering support in whatever ways we can. The incident has been referred to the NYPD for investigation as an anti-Muslim hate crime.

Although this happened outside of our gates, let me be clear: we have no room for this kind of hate at Columbia. Anti-Muslim hate, anti-Arab hate, on or off campus, is categorically unacceptable.

More broadly, incidents like these speak to a moment in our history where tolerance and acceptance are precariously low. This makes it all the more important that we, at Columbia, work as hard as we can to offer understanding, compassion, and support. We should seek, individually and collectively, to understand and address the stresses and fears that others in our community may be experiencing.

We are an institution in and of New York. All our students spend a lot of time off campus. Their experiences outside of our gates, particularly if they are confronted with hateful acts of discrimination or harassment, can have deep and lasting effects on their experiences as students. Our Muslim and Arab students are reporting a heightened sense of anti-Arab and anti-Muslim tension, bias, and hate, especially in the buildup to and aftermath of the mayoral election. Many students have told me they have turned inward, fearful of broadly socializing and of being ostracized. They say they have not always felt supported by the administration, and that they are often not comfortable leaning on the larger Columbia community for support. 

It is important that our Muslim and Arab students feel they can come forward to share their experiences, be understood, and get help. It’s also critical that when incidents occur, especially on our campus, but also beyond, they feel safe and encouraged to report them. The University has a wide range of resources for all our students, including robust anti-doxxing and harassment policies and support, pastoral care, and other types of counseling. We’ve also asked our deans of students to reach out to key student groups to better understand how our students are feeling and what they need. We’re also addressing anti-Muslim hate in two upcoming events, listed below. The feedback we’ve been getting in recent months, as we’ve listened, has yielded many other potential avenues of support, which we are actively pursuing. We have work to do, and we are committed to it. 

The very essence of our institution is diversity. We thrive, not in spite of, but rather because of, the rich mix of cultures, viewpoints, and intellects we attract and nurture here. That requires, especially in this moment, a deep commitment to empathy and understanding. We are all better prepared to press the boundaries of knowledge, to contribute to the world, when our entire community feels safe, supported, and seen.

Sincerely,

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

More University Resources:

Islamophobia and the Challenge of Inclusion - Presented by Dr. Homayra Ziad

These sessions will explore definitions of Islamophobia, its manifestations, and the distinctions between interpersonal and structural forms. Participants will come away with increased awareness and knowledge of Islamophobia and how to recognize it, and their role in creating an inclusive campus environment.

Unlearning Islamophobia: How to Recognize and Interrupt It - Presented by Dr. Daisy Khan

We can combat Islamophobia through empathy-building, increasing our religious literacy, and addressing our unconscious biases toward Muslim people. In this discussion, participants will enhance their awareness of Islamophobia’s history and how it shows up today, unpack evidence-based insights and case studies, and gain actionable strategies to interrupt it at Columbia and beyond.