CJAA's response to Rep. Virginia Foxx's Letter to Columbia University

February 12, 2024–

The Columbia Jewish Alumni Association (CJAA) issues the following statement in response to the letter from Rep. Virginia Foxx, Chairwoman of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, to Columbia University:

The CJAA welcomes the recent actions taken by Congress to investigate and address the troubling rise in antisemitism at Columbia and throughout higher education.

Recent events have highlighted the disturbing prevalence of vitriol, violence, and rampant antisemitism both within and outside the classroom, disrupting the learning environment and causing profound distress to students, faculty, and staff on campuses across the country.

This climate of intolerance undermines the foundational principles of diversity, inclusion, and academic freedom that are essential to the pursuit of knowledge. Most importantly, the growing incidence of antisemitism threatens the security and safety of all members of the community.

As alumni of Columbia University, we are deeply concerned by these developments. We continue to call upon the University to take decisive action to address antisemitism, enforce the rules on student protests consistently and without compromise, promote dialogue among all stakeholders, and foster a culture of respect and mutual understanding.

Today, we reaffirm our commitment to upholding the values of our alma mater. We extend our gratitude to all those at the University who have met with us and expressed a willingness to engage substantively to affect change, as well as to members of the CJAA whose ‍voices and efforts are crucial in confronting these challenges.

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For Press Inquiries: press@columbiajewishalumni.org