Columbia deans resign over texts officials say contained antisemitic tropes

Three deans at Columbia University have resigned from the school after text messages that officials said contained antisemitic tropes were revealed.  

A spokesperson for the school confirmed the resignations of Cristen Kromm, former dean of undergraduate student life; Matthew Patashnick, former associate dean for student and family support; and Susan Chang-Kim, former vice dean and chief administrative officer. 

The messages occurred in a group chat during an event at the university called “Jewish Life on Campus: Past, Present, and Future,” and were discovered by The Washington Free Beacon.  

Last month, President Minouche Shafik said the messages “revealed behavior and sentiments that were not only unprofessional, but also, disturbingly touched on ancient antisemitic tropes” before removing the three from their positions on campus.  

“Whether intended as such or not, these sentiments are unacceptable and deeply upsetting, conveying a lack of seriousness about the concerns and the experiences of members of our Jewish community that is antithetical to our University’s values and the standards we must uphold in our community,” Shafik added.  

Josef Sorett, the dean of Columbia College, also participated in the messages but was not removed from his position at the university.  

In one of the messages, Patashnick said a panelist at the event was “taking full advantage of this moment,” saying it was “huge potential” for them.  

Other messages seemingly mocked concerns about antisemitism on campus.  

The incident came after months of protests on Columbia’s campus over the Israel-Hamas war, with some individuals taking over a campus building.  

The New York Times reported activists recently broke into the apartment building of Cas Holloway, the school’s chief operating officer, dumping red paint on the floor and releasing insects in the lobby.