Hi readers, I hope there will come a time when the politics of Columbia University are no longer one of the fronts in broader struggles being waged across the United States.
Oh, so it’s not fair that Trump is picking on Columbia because Columbia is already doing its best to combat ‘antisemitism’ on campus by banning anti-genocide protests, prohibiting Palestine solidarity groups, and collaborating with the authorities in rounding up and deporting anti-genocide protesters? “Please, Mister President, don’t take away our cash: we’re doing our best to suppress free speech and stomp on academic freedom, so Israel can continue its genocide without embarrassment, just like you want!” Jeeze, with professors like this who needs the thought police?
Columbia's faculty and staff already gave up. The time to make a commited action, ie threaten to quit, came and went without any such show of resolve. Once they roll over for actual genocide, a fortiori they won't do anything about personnel changes
Well .... all this tiptoeing around the term 'anti-semitism', using it as a cloak to justify the Israeli government's demolition of Gaza and the wholesale killing of its women, children, doctors, journalists, not to mention the West Bank.
“When I use a word,’ Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, ‘it means just what I choose it to mean — neither more nor less.’
’The question is,’ said Alice, ‘whether you can make words mean so many different things.’
’The question is,’ said Humpty Dumpty, ‘which is to be master — that’s all.”
The question: Who is to be master? Israel or the US? The genocidaires or the anti-genocide contingent?
I continue to be shocked by the complete blindness reflected in this article. I am an American taxpayer. By what holy right does Columbia University have a claim on my tax dollars? And for that matter the tax exemptions on endowment income and property taxes (I’m a New York City taxpayer as well). Only by a social contract that supporting Columbia supports American, and yes the welfare of the world as well.
The protests were not in fact and certainly in perception limited to anti-semitism (bad enough), but anti-American, anti-western, and pro-terrorism. Their support by large segments of the faculty and administration, and the continued suppprt reflected in Professor Tooze’s missive, has removed Columbia from that social contract.
I don’t want my tax dollars supporting death chants from those privileged enough to attend Columbia. The Trump administration changes were minor enough. And if the poor faculty and administrators have a hard time with it, they can and hopefully will quit and join the unemployment lines they deserve to be in.
Why does faculty think it’s a democracy and they should have the controlling votes—on my tax dollars? Especially after they have so successfully demonstrated they teach idiocy and outright falsehoods. Columbia has a deep and narrow hole of its own making to climb out of and hopefully it will have to diet a great deal to get out of it and emerge healthier.
If you read an article carefully dissecting the ongoing political takeover of high education and its profound implications and your reaction is "DUHHH MY TAX DOLLARS" perhaps you have missed the point? Why not just cut the nonsense and admit you want political officers appointed to the boards of trustees of universities around the country? Pretending like this is about federal spending is really embarrassing and unconvincing, just own your fascist opinions!
No, its about a social contract. Once name callers like yourself are busy demonstrating against 90% of America and backed by a major prestige university heavily dependent on federal dollars, and illustrating that a lot of its education is indoctrination, it loses that contract. There is no avoiding politicians if you want money allocated by politicians. I’s called democracy. I don’t see the fascist angle at all.
So, "Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech" but the ADMINISTRATION can unilaterally decide what is the "social contract" and dictate policing of speech in universities. Some would call it ... a bit disingenuous.
Should I assume that tomorrow the administration will police federal grants based on whether universities silence international law students on criticizing the US government on the subject of land-grabbing Canada and Greenland? Or on the subject of climate change?
When the ICJ publishes its final verdict and finds Israel guilty of genocide will you... allow protests in universities or will they still be "outside the social contract"?
If you are worked up this much about your money going to private universities, then you should look at all of the stuff that public universities pull and still have 75% of their endowment funded by your taxpayer dollars.
Columbia, as a private research university, only gets 20% of its funding from the U.S government. The majority of funding comes from private sources and the tuition they charge students.
They also lost that social contract with a lot of their alumni. And a lot of the rest of their funding is from their tax exempt endowment. My Alma mater was Harvard and I’m part of the Harvard $1 pledge. A lot less than I have given in the past. I am not excusing public universities, it just wasn’t the topic. Unfortunately there will be a lot collateral damage including a lot of medical research and climate research (my own area of expertise—and yes there is global warming caused by man).
Trump’s assault on universities in the guise of fighting antisemitism has been enabled by the blurring in recent years of the lines between antisemitism, support for Palestine/Palestinians, and criticism of Israel via the widespread governmental and institutional adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism, which includes criticism of Israel as illustrative examples. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Working_definition_of_antisemitism; https://holocaustremembrance.com/resources/working-definition-antisemitism
"University leaders ..... must push back, individually and collectively." OK, so why not use some of Columbia's $14.8 billion endowment to cover the lost $400 million? Put your money where your mouth is.
pretty soon everyone quits Columbia and the whole thing falls apart.
pretty soon everyone quits Israel and the whole thing falls apart.
Some time ago everyone left Ukraine and the whole thing did fall apart.
Suddenly quite recently everyone left BLM and the Trans lobby (no one noticed).
So what are these social manipulating sociopaths going to do when they have nothing left to kill and nothing to fight for?
Adam - these are nazi tactics everywhere as I am sure you are aware. But the Nazis lost.
(and the post war question left for my generation was "how did no one ever point out a genocide was happening" - will we be asking that in 20 years time?).
Thanks Adam, even though I have to admit that I have somewhat switched off what is going on other side of Atlantic.
If you have time again, could you write something when the govt esp in Europe dares to address the elephant herd in the room raising taxes. I grant the UK might not be the first because of the manifesto and the ‘92 shock.
Nevertheless the older ones remember much higher levels before the various peace dividend tax reduction happened. There seems to be a certain logic that if there isn’t that much peace anylonger taxes will have rise.
Thanks! We must probe who and how decisions are made at all levels, especially related to universities and media. Tim Synder says,"Don't obey in advance". Yet, the trustees now show their active power as an oppressive force, more eager to obey than not. The power of the alternative emerges from the halls of universities and cries of the press, if the past provides any clue. This moment requires us to nourish and build common sources of vision and action, critical and progressive, all the more with the attack on principled voices and institutions.
Given Columbia’s endowments (>$20bn) did the university consider using the endowments to fund the federal funding shortfall and tell the Federal Government to get lost ? My understanding of the $450m shortfall was over c 5 years.
I'm puzzled by the hostile reference to the "radically undemocratic power" of the "self-perpetuating body" of trustees. As far as I know, most private universities are governed by self-perpetuating boards, sometimes with a bit of alumni input or an ex officio public official. Meanwhile, the president of the United States is elected, but somehow Professor Tooze doesn't seem to want him to have more power, democracy be hanged.
The plain fact is, Professor Tooze and those who agree with him (undoubtedly a majority of the Columbia faculty) are losing this battle. They succeeded briefly in dominating the campus, seizing quads and winning faculty votes, but the short-term losers, i.e., the supporters of Israel, successfully sought outside allies, as losers often do, and have gained the ascendancy.
I share your puzzlement. I took a quick read of the Faculty Handbook of Columbia, and it clearly states the Board of Trustees retain the final responsibility for the University and authority over all of its affairs.
The Senate oversees educational policies... and external relations of the University. I guess this could easily include negotiating with the federal administration, but there is still the fallback of the Board having final say.
If this is undemocratic, it has always been undemocratic. And if one has a problem today with undemocratic behavior, I guess reread the Faculty Handbook and accept it or resign on principles. As a low-level manager at a large corporation, I (and the other IT managers) clearly heard a message that if you do not agree with upper management decisions, your options are to support the decisions to the best of your ability, or resign.
Oh, so it’s not fair that Trump is picking on Columbia because Columbia is already doing its best to combat ‘antisemitism’ on campus by banning anti-genocide protests, prohibiting Palestine solidarity groups, and collaborating with the authorities in rounding up and deporting anti-genocide protesters? “Please, Mister President, don’t take away our cash: we’re doing our best to suppress free speech and stomp on academic freedom, so Israel can continue its genocide without embarrassment, just like you want!” Jeeze, with professors like this who needs the thought police?
Columbia's faculty and staff already gave up. The time to make a commited action, ie threaten to quit, came and went without any such show of resolve. Once they roll over for actual genocide, a fortiori they won't do anything about personnel changes
Well .... all this tiptoeing around the term 'anti-semitism', using it as a cloak to justify the Israeli government's demolition of Gaza and the wholesale killing of its women, children, doctors, journalists, not to mention the West Bank.
“When I use a word,’ Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, ‘it means just what I choose it to mean — neither more nor less.’
’The question is,’ said Alice, ‘whether you can make words mean so many different things.’
’The question is,’ said Humpty Dumpty, ‘which is to be master — that’s all.”
The question: Who is to be master? Israel or the US? The genocidaires or the anti-genocide contingent?
I continue to be shocked by the complete blindness reflected in this article. I am an American taxpayer. By what holy right does Columbia University have a claim on my tax dollars? And for that matter the tax exemptions on endowment income and property taxes (I’m a New York City taxpayer as well). Only by a social contract that supporting Columbia supports American, and yes the welfare of the world as well.
The protests were not in fact and certainly in perception limited to anti-semitism (bad enough), but anti-American, anti-western, and pro-terrorism. Their support by large segments of the faculty and administration, and the continued suppprt reflected in Professor Tooze’s missive, has removed Columbia from that social contract.
I don’t want my tax dollars supporting death chants from those privileged enough to attend Columbia. The Trump administration changes were minor enough. And if the poor faculty and administrators have a hard time with it, they can and hopefully will quit and join the unemployment lines they deserve to be in.
Why does faculty think it’s a democracy and they should have the controlling votes—on my tax dollars? Especially after they have so successfully demonstrated they teach idiocy and outright falsehoods. Columbia has a deep and narrow hole of its own making to climb out of and hopefully it will have to diet a great deal to get out of it and emerge healthier.
I see where you're coming from. The allocation of your tax dollars should align with your personal priorities.
If you read an article carefully dissecting the ongoing political takeover of high education and its profound implications and your reaction is "DUHHH MY TAX DOLLARS" perhaps you have missed the point? Why not just cut the nonsense and admit you want political officers appointed to the boards of trustees of universities around the country? Pretending like this is about federal spending is really embarrassing and unconvincing, just own your fascist opinions!
No, its about a social contract. Once name callers like yourself are busy demonstrating against 90% of America and backed by a major prestige university heavily dependent on federal dollars, and illustrating that a lot of its education is indoctrination, it loses that contract. There is no avoiding politicians if you want money allocated by politicians. I’s called democracy. I don’t see the fascist angle at all.
So, "Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech" but the ADMINISTRATION can unilaterally decide what is the "social contract" and dictate policing of speech in universities. Some would call it ... a bit disingenuous.
Should I assume that tomorrow the administration will police federal grants based on whether universities silence international law students on criticizing the US government on the subject of land-grabbing Canada and Greenland? Or on the subject of climate change?
When the ICJ publishes its final verdict and finds Israel guilty of genocide will you... allow protests in universities or will they still be "outside the social contract"?
If you are worked up this much about your money going to private universities, then you should look at all of the stuff that public universities pull and still have 75% of their endowment funded by your taxpayer dollars.
Columbia, as a private research university, only gets 20% of its funding from the U.S government. The majority of funding comes from private sources and the tuition they charge students.
They also lost that social contract with a lot of their alumni. And a lot of the rest of their funding is from their tax exempt endowment. My Alma mater was Harvard and I’m part of the Harvard $1 pledge. A lot less than I have given in the past. I am not excusing public universities, it just wasn’t the topic. Unfortunately there will be a lot collateral damage including a lot of medical research and climate research (my own area of expertise—and yes there is global warming caused by man).
From reading news reports and watching videos it seems the protests at Columbia got way out of hand.
People were camping out, blocking non-protesters, making lots of noise with bullhorns and at one point broke windows to take over a building.
The protesters faced no consequences.
Protests do not need to include these obnoxious elements. Leadership at the university failed.
Trump’s assault on universities in the guise of fighting antisemitism has been enabled by the blurring in recent years of the lines between antisemitism, support for Palestine/Palestinians, and criticism of Israel via the widespread governmental and institutional adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism, which includes criticism of Israel as illustrative examples. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Working_definition_of_antisemitism; https://holocaustremembrance.com/resources/working-definition-antisemitism
Welcome to Gilead, or probably, more accurate, would be Zion...
"University leaders ..... must push back, individually and collectively." OK, so why not use some of Columbia's $14.8 billion endowment to cover the lost $400 million? Put your money where your mouth is.
pretty soon everyone quits Columbia and the whole thing falls apart.
pretty soon everyone quits Israel and the whole thing falls apart.
Some time ago everyone left Ukraine and the whole thing did fall apart.
Suddenly quite recently everyone left BLM and the Trans lobby (no one noticed).
So what are these social manipulating sociopaths going to do when they have nothing left to kill and nothing to fight for?
Adam - these are nazi tactics everywhere as I am sure you are aware. But the Nazis lost.
(and the post war question left for my generation was "how did no one ever point out a genocide was happening" - will we be asking that in 20 years time?).
Thanks Adam, even though I have to admit that I have somewhat switched off what is going on other side of Atlantic.
If you have time again, could you write something when the govt esp in Europe dares to address the elephant herd in the room raising taxes. I grant the UK might not be the first because of the manifesto and the ‘92 shock.
Nevertheless the older ones remember much higher levels before the various peace dividend tax reduction happened. There seems to be a certain logic that if there isn’t that much peace anylonger taxes will have rise.
Thanks! We must probe who and how decisions are made at all levels, especially related to universities and media. Tim Synder says,"Don't obey in advance". Yet, the trustees now show their active power as an oppressive force, more eager to obey than not. The power of the alternative emerges from the halls of universities and cries of the press, if the past provides any clue. This moment requires us to nourish and build common sources of vision and action, critical and progressive, all the more with the attack on principled voices and institutions.
The bottom line is will the elites in this country stand up to illegal bullying by trump or not?
People might find this relevant
I wondered if you might restack
https://open.substack.com/pub/joannamilne/p/is-america-still-a-democracy-and?r=3j9y88&utm_medium=ios
Given Columbia’s endowments (>$20bn) did the university consider using the endowments to fund the federal funding shortfall and tell the Federal Government to get lost ? My understanding of the $450m shortfall was over c 5 years.
The Ivies are whores -- all that is being negotiated are their price ...
I'm puzzled by the hostile reference to the "radically undemocratic power" of the "self-perpetuating body" of trustees. As far as I know, most private universities are governed by self-perpetuating boards, sometimes with a bit of alumni input or an ex officio public official. Meanwhile, the president of the United States is elected, but somehow Professor Tooze doesn't seem to want him to have more power, democracy be hanged.
The plain fact is, Professor Tooze and those who agree with him (undoubtedly a majority of the Columbia faculty) are losing this battle. They succeeded briefly in dominating the campus, seizing quads and winning faculty votes, but the short-term losers, i.e., the supporters of Israel, successfully sought outside allies, as losers often do, and have gained the ascendancy.
I share your puzzlement. I took a quick read of the Faculty Handbook of Columbia, and it clearly states the Board of Trustees retain the final responsibility for the University and authority over all of its affairs.
The Senate oversees educational policies... and external relations of the University. I guess this could easily include negotiating with the federal administration, but there is still the fallback of the Board having final say.
If this is undemocratic, it has always been undemocratic. And if one has a problem today with undemocratic behavior, I guess reread the Faculty Handbook and accept it or resign on principles. As a low-level manager at a large corporation, I (and the other IT managers) clearly heard a message that if you do not agree with upper management decisions, your options are to support the decisions to the best of your ability, or resign.