C229. Canceling Deans at Columbia

Some remarkable events have unfolded at Columbia University, an institution that is notable particularly for its high percentage of foreign students--for instance, Muslims and Chinese.  Columbia was one of the first campuses to host riots and "encampments" after the Oct. 7 terrorist attack on Israel. 

Unfortunately--or not--Columbia's tolerance of the supporters of terrorism, students and others, had various adverse effects--such as big donors' announcing that they wouldn't give Columbia money anymore.  There was also a considerable onslaught of negative press.  As heads of other universities also did, Columbia's leaders appointed task forces and made statements.  In May they held a meeting to discuss issues of anti-Semitism, inviting a Columbia rabbi to speak. 

The meeting was attended by professors and deans, but open to others.  During this session, three of the deans present (they are--or were--of middle-to-low rank) exchanged text messages privately, via their phones.  A person sitting behind one of them took photos of the messages on his or her own phone.  Then this person sent the photos to a conservative press site, "Washington Free Beacon," which published them.   

The texts indicated that these three people had little sympathy for the Jews.  Their statements might reasonably be considered to be anti-Semitic.  Later, the top dean wrote a statement seeking to dismiss the resulting furor, which had been directed at the three others.  A big boss must have then tapped him on the shoulder, and he turned around and said he was "deeply sorry" for having issued his first statement.  An investigation ensued. 

After a month or two, Columbia announced that the three miscreants would lose their jobs, and they were "suspended indefinitely" from all employment at the University.  Not allowed to merely apologize.  The top dean, however, was exculpated.  ("Rank hath its privileges?"  Irreplaceable?)  Perhaps the tide of battle in the Culture Wars has turned.  Now, it's possible for (at least a few, negligible) people to be canceled for making private anti-Semitic statements. 

Imagine what comes next:  "I was walking by his office.  He was on the phone.  I recorded what he said!  You can recognize his voice."  Better yet, "He said that she said..."  But, these were merely "administrators."  How about the professors, who are protected by "academic freedom," not just tenure (unless they "use the N-word, even in quotation marks," or the like).  Would similar evidence qualify them to be treated as Prof. Francesca Gino was, (long) after she was incriminated for fabricating research data?  Not yet.