Columbia president says talks with protesters stalled as university issues new deadline

Columbia University President Minouche Shafik announced Monday that talks with the pro-Palestinian protesters have stalled on the campus, where the national movement for encampments for Gaza began.

Additionally, the university has given students camped on campus until 2 p.m. Monday to voluntarily pack up their things. If that is done, and involved students sign a pledge to “abide by all university policies” through June 2025, then those students will be considered in good standing by the university, according to university guidance.

Students who do not leave will be suspended, the university said, unable to complete the semester.

The school said it has identified numerous students who have been protesting and even if they leave the encampment, if they do not sign the form they will not “complete the semester in good standing.”

In the guidance, the school said they would be offering an “alternate venue” for protests after final exams and graduation is over.

In the Monday statement, Shafik said the school would not divest from Israel, one of the main demands from the demonstrators to end the encampment.  

“While the University will not divest from Israel, the University offered to develop an expedited timeline for review of new proposals from the students by the Advisory Committee for Socially Responsible Investing, the body that considers divestment matters,” Shafik said. “The University also offered to publish a process for students to access a list of Columbia’s direct investment holdings, and to increase the frequency of updates to that list of holdings.” 

In addition, the school offered to invest in education and health in Gaza and create a faculty committee focused on academic freedom.  

Shafik commented how the school “must take into account the rights of all members of our community” and that the encampment has made Jewish students feel unsafe, caused a distracting environment for those preparing for finals and is a “Title VI violation.”

“Consistent with our interim demonstration policies, after reading days, exams, and Commencement, protests may continue on campus by application with two-days’ notice in authorized locations. We have no intention of suppressing speech or the right to peaceful protest,” Shafik said.  

The president called for the protesters to “voluntarily disperse” and administrators are working on “alternative internal options to end this crisis as soon as possible.” 

She also reassured students there would be a main commencement ceremony after the University of Southern California cancels its graduation due to unrest on campus.  

Updated at 11:42 a.m.