Law firm representing plaintiff says deal will restore 'basic, shared principles of safety' at university, after 'extreme protesters' moved
NEW YORK — Columbia University has agreed to take additional steps to make its students feel secure on campus under a settlement reached Tuesday with a Jewish student who had sought a court order requiring the Ivy League school provide safe access to the campus amid protests against Israel over its war in Gaza with Hamas.
The law firm representing the plaintiff in the lawsuit, filed as a class action complaint, called the settlement a “first-of-its-kind agreement to protect Jewish students from extreme on-campus Gaza war protestors.”
Under the agreement, Columbia must create a new point of contact — a Safe Passage Liaison — for students worried for their safety. The liaison will handle student safety concerns and coordinate any student requests for escorts through an existing escort program, which must remain available 24/7 through at least December 31, according to the agreement.
The settlement also makes academic accommodations for students who couldn’t access campus to complete assignments or exams, among other provisions. The Jewish plaintiff, known by the initials CS, said Columbia’s decision to let students take classes online in response to the protests showed that the school had become too dangerous for Jewish students to receive the education they were promised.
“We are pleased we’ve been able to come to a resolution and remain committed to our number one priority: the safety of our campus so that all of our students can successfully pursue their education and meet their academic goals,” a university spokesperson said in a written statement.