Columbia Finally Issues Punishments For 70 Students In Pro-Palestinian Protests

Punishments were handed down to unnamed students who participated in pro-Palestinian demonstrations that involved the occupation of a campus library in May and the setup of an encampment in an academic building last April.

At least 70 students received disciplinary action, according to multiple outlets, with Columbia student group Apartheid Divest saying nearly 80 students were suspended.

The group claimed in a statement the impacted students were required to write apology letters to Columbia or be expelled.

The specifics of the punishments will not be disclosed by Columbia, though the school shared the sanctions include “probation, suspensions (ranging from one year to three years), degree revocations, and expulsions.”

Columbia said following the library occupation it banned non-university affiliated participants from campus and placed Columbia participants on interim suspension, noting its judicial board held hearings in which respondents could make their cases, and issued sanctions Monday.

Columbia lauded the speed at which its “updated” judicial board came to its conclusions, giving praise to the administrative body after it refused demands from the Trump administration earlier this year to abolish the board entirely and place disciplinary processes directly under the office of the university president (Columbia instead placed the board under the office of the provost, who reports to the president).