Columbia University placed three associate deans under administrative leave following discovery of antisemitism texts, Fox News reported Friday.
Three associate deans at Columbia University were placed on administrative leave following the emergence of text messages exchanged during an antisemitism panel. The deans, Susan Chang-Kim, Matthew Patashnick and Cristen Kromm, came under scrutiny after screenshots of their group chat, which included dismissive remarks and vomit emojis about the panel, were circulated online and even caught the attention of Congress, according to Fox News.
Three Columbia University deans placed on administrative leave over disparaging texts https://t.co/Nd5iVK2EaE
— Fox News (@FoxNews) June 21, 2024
The text exchange occurred May 31 during a panel discussion at the university’s College alumni reunion, as reported by The Washington Free Beacon. One of the texts from Chang-Kim to Josef Sorett, the dean of Columbia University who was also part of the chat, read: “This is difficult to listen to but I’m trying to keep an open mind to learn about this point of view.” Sorett simply responded, “Yup.”
Although Sorett participated in the exchange, he has not been placed on leave but has expressed a commitment to “learning from this situation and other incidents over the last year to build a community of respect and healthy dialogue,” according to the Free Beacon. (RELATED: ‘We Are Being Manipulated’: Professor Explains How China Is Spreading Pro-Hamas Sentiment On College Campuses)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 23: Israeli counter-protesters demonstrate during a pro-Palestinian rally near Columbia University on May 23, 2024 in New York City. Demonstrators gathered to protest against New York Mayor Eric Adams’s association with wealthy business owners and investors calling for they city’s student protest encampments to be disbanded. (Photo by John Lamparski/Getty Images)
The incident has prompted a response from the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, which has requested that Columbia release the text messages from the deans involved. Republican North Carolina Rep. Virginia Foxx, chair of the committee, expressed her dismay.
“I was appalled, but sadly not surprised, to learn Columbia administrators exchanged disparaging text messages during a panel that discussed antisemitism at the University,” Foxx said.
A spokesperson for the university affirmed their commitment to combating antisemitism.
“We are committed to taking sustained, concrete action to ensure Columbia is a campus where Jewish students and everyone in our community feels safe, valued, and able to thrive,” a spokesperson told Fox News.
