Columbia University President Minouche Shafik announced on Monday a same-day shift to virtual classes, according to the Columbia Daily Spectator, to "deescalate the rancor" at the Ivy League school that has been embroiled in controversy as student protests express open support for Hamas and other proscribed terrorist groups.
Earlier this week, one rabbi serving Jewish students on campus advised his community to leave campus until their safety could be guaranteed. Columbia Hillel, a center for Jewish life at the university, has offered students police walking escorts to and from the school.
In an overnight statement to students, Shafik wrote that “The decibel of our disagreements has only increased in recent days. These tensions have been exploited and amplified by individuals who are not affiliated with Columbia who have come to campus to pursue their own agendas. We need a reset.”