“We Need an Arab on Board”: Columbia University President Faces Backlash Over Antisemitism Allegations
Columbia University’s acting president, Claire Shipman, is under fire for texts advocating the removal of a pro-Israel Jewish trustee and urging the appointment of an Arab board member, raising concerns about antisemitism and Title VI violations. The revelations, highlighted by a congressional committee, intensify scrutiny of Columbia’s handling of rising campus antisemitism since the October 2023 Hamas attack.
Claire Shipman, acting president of Columbia University, faces intense scrutiny after private text messages surfaced revealing her push to remove Shoshana Shendelman, a Jewish trustee and vocal pro-Israel advocate, from the university’s board. In messages sent before her July 2024 appointment, Shipman wrote, “We need an Arab on board quickly,” and urged the dismissal of Shendelman, who has championed Jewish student safety amid rising campus antisemitism. The texts, exposed in a letter from the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, led by Rep. Tim Walberg (R-Mich.) and Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), were described as evidence of Shipman downplaying “the pervasive culture of antisemitism on Columbia’s campus.” The letter stated, “These exchanges raise the question of why you appeared to be in favor of removing one of the board’s most outspoken Jewish advocates at a time when Columbia students were facing a shocking level of fear and hostility.”
Shipman’s call to appoint an Arab board member “specifically because of their national origin” raised Title VI concerns, with the letter noting, “Were Columbia to … appoint someone to the board specifically because of their national origin, it would implicate Title VI concerns.” This follows the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack that killed 1,200 Israelis, which fueled a 400% surge in antisemitic incidents at U.S. universities, including Columbia, where Jewish students reported 112 harassment cases in 2024.
Shipman’s dismissal of congressional oversight as “Capitol Hill nonsense” drew further criticism, with Walberg and Stefanik writing, “Shipman’s message is disturbing given Congress’s role in ensuring universities protect Jewish students.” Columbia, already under fire for suspending its Students for Justice in Palestine chapter in November 2023, faces a federal lawsuit for failing to address antisemitic protests. Shipman has not publicly responded, but the controversy threatens her leadership as Columbia navigates its response to campus tensions.