Columbia University faculty pass vote of no confidence in president

NEW YORK — Arts and Sciences faculty at Columbia University on Thursday passed a vote of no confidence in the institution’s president, Minouche Shafik — a sign of growing dissent over her controversial handling of pro-Palestinian demonstrations.

Out of the 709 professors who voted for the resolution — introduced by the Columbia chapter of the nonprofit American Association of University Professors — 65 percent expressed no confidence in Shafik, while 29 percent voted against it and 6 percent abstained, according to the results shared with POLITICO.

Nearly 900 faculty out of Columbia’s more than 4,600 full-time employees were eligible to vote.

“President Shafik’s violation of the fundamental requirements of academic freedom and shared governance, and her unprecedented assault on students’ rights, warrants unequivocal and emphatic condemnation,” the resolution states .

Though symbolic, the move is designed to send a message to the university’s board of trustees, which is continuing to back her , that trust in the embattled leader has eroded.

In the resolution, faculty castigated Shafik over her decision to authorize the NYPD to clear out an encampment in support of Palestine April 18 despite the executive committee of the University Senate unanimously rejecting that request.

They also blasted her for doing it a second time without consulting the Senate — leading to police officers descending on the campus last month to physically remove protesters occupying a school building . Cops arrested over 100 people at Columbia that night.

Shafik “falsely” claimed the students arrested for demonstrating posed a “clear and present danger to the substantial functioning of the University,” insisting the students were “peaceful,” the resolution states.

And her detractors sounded the alarm on her promise to fire faculty who embraced opinions against Israel that have been deemed antisemitic during an April 17 congressional hearing on antisemitism.

“A vote of no confidence is the first step towards rebuilding our community and re-establishing the University’s core values of free speech, the right to peaceful assembly, and shared governance,” the resolution reads.

In recent weeks, Shafik has avoided appearing publicly before students. She last addressed them in a video posted to Instagram earlier this month. And Columbia recently moved to cancel its universitywide commencement, instead opting to hold smaller graduation ceremonies.

Ben Chang, a Columbia spokesperson, defended Shafik’s management amid the backlash.

“President Shafik continues to consult regularly with members of the community, including faculty, administration, and trustees, as well as with state, city, and community leaders,” Chang said in a statement. “She appreciates the efforts of those working alongside her on the long road ahead to heal our community.”