Failed Leadership: President Shafik’s Crackdown and Dean Yarhi-Milo’s Indifference

(Photo/TheMorningsidePost/Victoire Mandonnaud)

by TMP Editorial Board

Amidst Columbia University's harsh crackdown on student protesters, President Shafik's approval of police presence on campus and Dean Yarhi-Milo's silence speak volumes, amplifying the disillusionment and frustration among the student body.

On April 30, the Columbia University administration ordered another NYPD crackdown on its students on campus, the second to occur in the last two weeks. The events that unfolded last night have left many of us shaken, infuriated, and traumatized. The continuous presence of the NYPD around campus, their brutal crackdown on students both inside and outside the campus on April 30, and their entry into Hamilton Hall with riot gear and weapons while hundreds of students looked on helplessly have left the students disillusioned with everything Columbia claims to be.

We are shocked and appalled by the use of force against students and firmly believe that no amount of force would ever resolve differences between two parties, especially when the power is disproportionate between the two. It was disturbing to read President Shafik's latest email, where she thanked the NYPD for "their incredible professionalism and support" when there has been mounting evidence of police brutality against students.

The irony is not lost on us that this crackdown against students was carried out on the 56th anniversary of the 1968 Columbia student protests and occupation of Hamilton Hall, the protests that Columbia prides itself in, and also find a mention in Shafik's recent email. We ask, what has Columbia learned 56 years later? 

The NYPD entered the campus on President Minouche Shafik's orders, swept the encampment and Hamilton Hall, made more than 100 arrests, and, as per Shafik's letter, will remain on campus through at least May 17. The NYPD blocked the roads, parked dozens of vehicles, and arrest buses in the neighborhood, all of which were completely unnecessary. 

Columbia administration's call to authorize law enforcement once again to arrest protesting students, allowing police brutality toward protesters, has reinforced the student body sentiment that the Columbia administration is detached from the reality of its students and its responsibility and accountability towards them. 

President Shafik's email also comes off as insensitive, particularly when she writes that the administration has been "tolerating unauthorized demonstrations" when it has consistently engaged in arbitrary suspensions, attempted to silence student organizations, changed policies one after another, and did not even attempt to listen to protesters' concerns and demands until the beginning of the encampment. To disagree is one thing; to be indifferent is another. 

The egregious violations of freedom of speech and academic freedom by Columbia are condemnable. It is more disappointing because many students chose this institution because of those values. We also denounce the absolute disregard for protecting its students and its selective care and safety for a chosen few. President Shafik mentioned the discomfort of some students and antisemitic comments made by some individuals, and its condemnation is justified. However, she completely disregarded Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian hate on campus, which has been constantly highlighted and has been reported publicly by students and student protesters. 

The administration continues to close the campus to its own students after last night, restricting them from using campus resources days away from finals, especially at a time when most students are unable to focus and need peer support to process. This was an attack on our student community, and it will take us time to heal from it, not alone but in the community, and Columbia has failed to provide us with that community space.

Students across SIPA have felt the impact of the unfolding events over the past weeks. The deafening silence of Dean Keren Yarhi-Milo and the SIPA administration amidst the current turmoil has been heard the loudest by SIPA students. It has been over two weeks since the Gaza Solidarity Encampment began, two weeks of unsettling police presence on campus, and over 14 hours since students witnessed instances of police brutality against their peers on campus grounds. What we did not see was our Dean's acknowledgment of the impact it has and continues to have on her students. What we did not hear was what the SIPA administration can offer to alleviate our fears, confusion, and the absolute distress we have been experiencing during this time. Her silence on SIPA students' arbitrary arrests is unconscionable. Her lack of communication and transparency with the student body has resulted in a sense of disconnection and disengagement.

Despite preaching compassion, empathy, and respect, the Dean's actions (or lack thereof) have shown no compassion or kindness toward the emotional turmoil the students have been experiencing for weeks. The SIPA administration's handling of these events has been a flagrant display of institutional neglect, further exacerbating students' frustration and sense of betrayal.

The SIPA administration's lack of clarity on logistics or exam exceptions has left most students baffled and scared. At a time when the administration should have been proactively reassuring students, they have chosen silence over their students' well-being. 

The absolute disregard for student safety and absence of support by Dean Keren and the SIPA administration has created a trust deficit that will be hard to bridge. It is important to note that the SIPA Student Association (SIPASA) has been the only entity listening to students' concerns and advocating for their rights. This confirms what many students at SIPA, and perhaps at Columbia, have been feeling for days–that our student community is ultimately our strongest and most reliable support system.

For an institution that claims to be a driver of change through policy, it is appalling that SIPA has not learned from its mistakes. The administration's failure to establish a meaningful dialogue between students and the Dean is a clear example of incompetence. It is high time that SIPA took responsibility for its shortcomings and took decisive action to address them. The lack of progress is inexcusable, and the administration needs to step up and be accountable to their students.

Dean Yarhi-Milo and the SIPA administration's inaction has been felt loud and clear. By choosing not to speak to her students, the Dean is further distancing herself from the student body's voice. What has transpired in recent weeks has important takeaways for Columbia and the SIPA administration, but the key lesson for the institution is - do better.  

The staff editorial reflects the majority view of the editorial board at The Morningside Post.

Tarang Jain (MIA ‘25) is the Editor-in-Chief at The Morningside Post.

Paras Abbasi (MPA’ 24) is the Managing Editor at The Morningside Post.

Yasmine Garay (MPA ‘25) is the Opinions Editor at The Morningside Post.