Columbia University announced Thursday it has suspended, expelled and revoked the degrees of students involved in the seizure of a campus building in 2024.
The violent campus protests that overtook the campus since the start of the Israel-Hamas War on Oct. 7, 2023 culminated in several arrests at the university and the overtaking of Hamilton Hall in the spring semester of 2024, during which a university employee was allegedly held hostage.
A university spokesman told the Daily Caller News Foundation they could not confirm the names or number of students affected by the punishments due to privacy concerns, but said the university “immediately began disciplinary processes” following the spring incident.
“Today, the Columbia University Judicial Board determined findings and issued sanctions to students ranging from multi-year suspensions, temporary degree revocations, and expulsions related to the occupation of Hamilton Hall last spring,” the university’s announcement reads. “With respect to other events taking place last spring, the UJB’s determinations recognized previously imposed disciplinary action. The return of suspended students will be overseen by Columbia’s University Life Office. Columbia is committed to enforcing the University’s Rules and Policies and improving our disciplinary processes.”
After investigations into the university’s response to the protests determined the university did not adequately punish students for their roles in the events, the Trump administration announced in early March it would revoke $400 million in federal funding from the university. Columbia quickly changed its tune and insisted it would make an effort to fight antisemitism on campus.
The Department of Education on Tuesday sent letters to 60 institutions warning them that noncompliance with civil rights laws would lead to similar enforcement action being taken against them. All 60 universities currently have open investigations or complaints filed against them relating to antisemitic incidents.
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