Three Columbia University administrators have been permanently removed from their positions following the revelation of controversial text messages exchanged during an on-campus event about Jewish life. The incident, which took place during the university’s reunion weekend at the end of May, has sparked significant backlash and led to calls for greater accountability and measures to combat antisemitism.
The administrators involved are Cristen Kromm, the dean of undergraduate student life; Matthew Patashnick, the associate dean for student and family support; and Susan Chang-Kim, the vice dean and chief administrative officer. They were initially placed on leave in June after images of their text exchange were published online by the Washington Free Beacon, a conservative news outlet. The content of the texts was also released by the House Committee on Education and the Workforce last week.
In one of the texts, Patashnick commented on a Jewish speaker discussing antisemitism on campus, saying, “He knows exactly what he’s doing and how to take full advantage of this moment. Huge fundraising potential.” In response to a student sharing her fears during the protests and her comfort in the Kraft Center where Hillel is located, Kromm wrote, “Amazing what $$$$ can do.”
Columbia College Dean Josef Sorett, whose text messages were also published, will continue to lead the college after apologizing and committing to work on repairing the damage caused by the text exchanges. Columbia Provost Angela Olinto stated that Sorett and his administration are expected to “deliver concrete change in combating antisemitism and discrimination and creating a fully inclusive environment.”
In a letter to the Columbia College community, Sorett acknowledged that some of the text messages “may call to mind antisemitic tropes” and expressed deep regret for his involvement. “Any language that demeans members of our community, or divides us from one another, is simply unacceptable,” he wrote. Sorett pledged to spearhead the necessary changes to ensure such incidents do not occur again.
Columbia University President Minouche Shafik described the comments as “not only unprofessional, but also disturbingly touched on ancient antisemitic tropes.” She emphasized that these sentiments are unacceptable and deeply upsetting, as they convey a lack of seriousness about the concerns and experiences of the Jewish community, which is antithetical to the university’s values.
In response to the incident, Columbia University will launch a comprehensive program of antisemitism and antidiscrimination training for faculty and staff this fall. Similar training will also be provided to students. Olinto noted that the administrators’ conduct was “wrong and contrary to the mission and values of our institution,” revealing an ignorance of the history of antisemitism.
Mikael Rochman, a rising senior at Columbia, expressed his concerns, stating, “It’s antisemitic tropes that we’ve heard before and we’ve seen where that’s gone. We were put in a situation where our safety was at risk and we didn’t feel comfortable being Jewish on campus.”
Jewish student leaders at Columbia were left confused by the announcement, which they found intentionally ambiguous. Eliana Goldin, a rising fourth-year political science major, criticized the university’s response, saying, “The wording was intentionally left ambiguous so that students would think some sort of concrete action was being taken by the university.” She accused the university of trying to skirt responsibility and using bureaucratic measures to avoid taking real responsibility.
The controversial texts occurred during a May 31 panel titled “Jewish Life on Campus: Past, Present and Future.” The administrators appeared to belittle the concerns of Jewish students amid a rise in antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiment on campus. The House Committee on Education and the Workforce has opened an investigation into the incident and demanded a full transcript of the texts.
A fourth administrator, Dean of Columbia College Josef Sorett, also participated in the exchange but to a lesser extent. Shafik stated that disciplinary action would not be taken against Sorett, as he has apologized and taken full responsibility, committing to the work and collaboration necessary to heal the community and learn from this moment.
Noah Lederman, a rising sophomore studying philosophy and pre-law, expressed his confusion over the announcement, stating, “This reads to me as every other email has; very performative. It sounds like this was phrased in a way to make people believe the administrators were being fired… the ambiguity is unprofessional. Be forthright about what’s going on.”
A spokesperson for Virginia Foxx, who oversaw the House Committee on Education and the Workforce investigation into the texts, told the Columbia Spectator that the removals are “not enough” and that Columbia is “far from off the hook.”
Columbia University has committed to implementing anti-discrimination training that will include a focus on antisemitism for all students, faculty, and staff starting this fall. The university will release more information about the training throughout the summer.
Source: CBS/AP, Haaretz, WABC-TV
