ALBAWABA - The weeks long protests have sparked different American political responses. Some have condemned anti-Semitism, but others worry about freedom violations as institutions forcefully dissolve protests and jail hundreds of students.
Nemat Minouche Shafik, president of Columbia University, is under increasing pressure as the university's oversight body criticises how rallies against the Gaza conflict have been handled. Arrests and protests persist on other college campuses in spite of this.
A significant portion of the student body, teachers, and outside observers have expressed their dissatisfaction with Shafik's decision to summon the New York Police Department to break up a demonstration camp that is against the Israeli offensive in Gaza.
After a two-hour meeting, the Columbia University Board passed a resolution declaring that by using the police to put an end to the protests, Shafik's administration had violated academic freedoms and ignored the legal rights and privacy of staff and students.
The resolution emphasised grave worries regarding the administration's dedication to openness and shared governance in the university's decision-making procedures.
A university spokesman stressed that although Shafik has not yet responded to the resolution, the administration is committed to continuing the conversation and concurs with the board's objective of bringing peace back to campus.
