Columbia College’s interim president Katrina Armstrong was slammed by members of the varsity’s Jewish group after she apologized to anybody who felt “harm” by the administration’s determination to filter the campus’ damaging anti-Israel protests final spring.
Dr. Armstrong issued the mea culpa in an interview with the Ivy League college’s newspaper, the Columbia Spectator after she was requested concerning the college requesting the NYPD to interrupt up a sprawling encampment and take away protesters from Hamilton Corridor on separate days final April.
“I do know that that is tough for me to say, however I do perceive that I sit on this job, proper. And so if you happen to may simply let all people know who was harm by that, that I’m simply extremely sorry,” Armstrong advised the newspaper that revealed its story early Thursday.
“And I do know it wasn’t me, however I’m actually sorry … I noticed it, and I’m actually sorry.”
Armstrong assumed her present function after former Columbia president Minouche Shafik all of a sudden stepped down in August after she confronted intense criticism for her dealing with the fixed – and at occasions damaging – anti-Israel demonstrations following Hamas’ Oct. 7 terror assault and the next warfare in Gaza.
Greater than 100 protesters, a part of a Gaza Solidarity Encampment on a campus inexperienced, have been taken into custody after Shafik referred to as on the NYPD to enter college grounds. About two weeks later, tons of of cops have been allowed on campus once more to haul away greater than 100 protesters from Hamilton Corridor.
On each events, the elite college stated it regretted summoning police, however pressured officers have been left with no selection. The college accused protesters that took over Hamilton Corridor of forcing college security officers out of the constructing and threatening a janitor.
Armstrong’s apology was blasted by Jewish members of the varsity group.
“As a substitute of apologizing to the antisemitic protesters, [Armstrong] ought to be apologizing to the Jewish college students for failing to guard them from relentless discrimination and harassment,” pupil Maya Cukierman, 19, advised The Put up.
Matthew Schweber, who’s a part of the varsity’s Jewish alumni affiliation, stated the apology “solely dramatizes the ethical rot, mental chapter, and institutional antisemitism that besets my alma mater.”
Columbia Legislation Faculty graduate Rory Lancman referred to as Armstrong’s apology an “ominous signal” as the brand new college is underway.
“It’s an ominous signal for Columbia’s dwindling cohort of Jewish college students that its interim president is beginning the brand new tutorial yr by apologizing for Columbia’s enforcement of primary time, place, and method restrictions on anti-Israel protestors who terrorized Columbia’s Jewish group” and affected different college students and workers on campus, stated Lancman, who’s senior counsel the Louis Brandeis Heart for Human Rights Below Legislation.
And Ari Shrage, who’s the pinnacle of the varsity Jewish alumni affiliation, referred to as Armstrong’s assertion “tone deaf.”
“Why is she apologizing? An apology sends the message that there shouldn’t be penalties for breaking the principles,” he stated. “That is precisely the alternative of what Columbia wants now.”
The college advised The Put up in an announcement Armstrong has labored to have interaction and pay attention with a variety of scholars and communities on campus “and has heard concerning the hurt they skilled final tutorial yr.”
“Dr. Armstrong gave a wide-ranging interview with the scholar newspaper that partially targeted on the affect of the previous yr, and simply as she has as carried out whereas chatting with many teams throughout our campus, she acknowledged their ache and reiterated how sorry she is to all college students who’re hurting,” a spokesperson stated.
“She stays dedicated to making sure everybody on the college feels secure and revered as we rebuild and heal this yr.
Armstrong, who additionally leads the varsity’s Irving Medical Heart, additionally advised the Columbia Spectator that college needs to be dedicated to enabling college students the flexibility to precise their views and interact in debate whereas additionally guaranteeing tutorial actions proceed.
She pressured she needs to “maintain this campus peaceable, secure.”
“I wish to simply say, I see the hurt that occurred,” Armstrong reportedly stated. “And I’m deeply dedicated that I work with all of you, I work with the entire group to each deal with that hurt and to grasp.”