Columbia University Board Grilled by House of Representatives on Antisemitic Professor

On Wednesday, board members of Columbia University testified to the United States House of Representatives about, among other things, the status of professor Joseph Massad, who has made public statements praising Hamas and the October 7th attacks on Israel. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), in particular, hammered the board members on the hiring of this individual, which apparently took place after the October 7th attack. Massad had spoken in support of the October 7th attack.

Speaking about one professor who was spoken to by a senior administrator after making antisemitic comments, (Columbia University President Nemat "Minouche") Shafik said "he has not repeated anything like that."
"Does he need to repeat, stating that the massacre of Israeli civilians 'was awesome'?" Stefanik asked. "Does he need to repeat his participation in an unauthorized pro-Hamas demonstration on April 4?"
Before Shafik could respond, Stefanik cited Schizer's opening statement, in which he spoke about the lack of enforcement at Columbia.
Shafik answered, "We have 4,700 faculty at Columbia ..." But before she could finish her sentence, Stefanik cut her off.
"But I'm talking about faculty members who are supporting terror," Stefanik said.
She noted a professor who was hired after the Oct. 7 attacks and later posted "Yes, I am with Hamas and and Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad" on social media.
"He also decried 'false reports' accusing Arabs and Muslims of decapitating the heads of children and being rapists," Stefanik said. "We know that there were decapitations of babies, of innocent Israeli citizens, of seniors, of women. There were rapes. Yet, Columbia hired this individual as a professor. How did that hiring process work? Were you aware of those statements before the hiring?"

Video of Rep. Stefanik's questioning appeared on X/Twitter:

House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik grills Columbia University President Minouche Shafik and Board of Trustees members over a professor who praised Hamas and October 7:

Stefanik: “Should he be removed [as a Columbia committee chair] today?” pic.twitter.com/MjnDYwUJyT
— The Recount (@therecount) April 17, 2024

Rep. Stefanik broke into board member Claire Shipman's testimony about the "system of rules and enforcement" at Columbia, saying they "are broken. They're broken."

Rep Tim Walberg (R-MI) also questioned the board members about Massad, who serves as Chair of the university's Arts and Sciences Academic Review Committee. Representative Walberg quoted from an article written by Massad praising "...the innovative Palestinian resistance" and praising Hama's Oct 7th attack as "awesome, astonishing, astounding and incredible."

Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI) grills Columbia University President Minouche Shafik over a professor who praised Hamas’ October 7 terrorist attacks on Israel, and repeatedly cuts off her attempts to respond:

Shafik: “I didn't get to fin-”

Walberg: “I have your answer.” pic.twitter.com/JE74LDcvSs
— The Recount (@therecount) April 17, 2024

Columbia University President Minouche Shafik condemned the statement, but when asked if Massad had faced any consequences, said, "...He has been spoken to."

He has been spoken to. Weak sauce, that.

Antisemitism has been an increasingly visible problem on American university campuses since before the October 7th atrocities. Pro-Hamas protestors have interfered with other students and have openly threatened Jewish students.

Jewish Students Suing University for Allowing Pro-Hamas Students to Trap Them in School Library

While the antisemitism of students is a problem, it's arguable that antisemitism and open support of terror groups on the part of their instructors is an entirely different matter, so much to be a difference not in degree but in kind; these are, after all, the people to whom we literally entrust the young minds making up the next generation.

It's difficult to imagine how anyone involved in the screening and hiring process at Columbia University could have supported hiring this individual, especially after the October 7th attack. It's difficult to imagine how anyone involved in academia in any capacity can view any of the statements made by Joseph Massad with anything other than shock, revulsion, and horror, and yet only one of the four Columbia board members was willing to state unequivocally that anyone making these kinds of statements should be fired.

This is the state of American higher education today. The House of Representatives, unfortunately, while shining a lot of light in a lot of dark corners in academia, has little power to correct the widespread antisemitism on college campuses like Columbia.

Undergraduate students living on campus at Columbia University pay $89,587 per year in tuition and fees. They aren't getting their money's worth.