Faculty at universities are going beyond offering criticism and taking action against how their leaders respond to Israel-Hamas war votes on their campuses.
On the same day a faculty group at Emory University called for a no-confidence vote in Emory’s president, the faculty senate at Columbia University called for an investigation of the school’s leadership. Both actions come in response to the handling of student protests on campus in support of Palestinians in the Israel-Hamas war.
Friday afternoon, the faculty senate for Emory University’s College of Arts and Sciences decided to hold a college-wide no-confidence vote in President Gregory Fenves. The vote could start this weekend and would be open to the entire college faculty of about 500 educators.
The New York Times reported the Columbia faculty senate called on Friday for an investigation of university leadership, including President Nemat Shafik, saying the administration had undermined academic freedom and violated due process rights of both students and faculty. This vote follows a call by the campus chapter of American Association of University Professors to censure Shafik. The president came under fire for calling New York police to respond to protests on campus. Critics said the presence of police served to encourage the protesters and may have helped inspire protests on other college campuses.
