NEW YORK CITY – Columbia University has settled a lawsuit filed by Jewish student who claimed the school failed to provide a safe educational environment during the pro-Palestine protests on campus.
Under the agreement, Columbia will create a “Safe Passage Liaison” who will serve as the main contact for students with safety concerns stemming from protests at the school, reports NBC 15 News. The liaison will also coordinate 24/7 safety escorts when asked to do so. The safety escorts will be available until at least December 31, reports Yahoo News.
Additionally, the settlement provides accommodations for students needing access to their belongings when they are restricted from campus due to disciplinary actions. There will also be accommodations for students who couldn’t access campus to complete their assignments or exams due to the demonstrations.
Lawsuit Alleged Jewish Columbia Students were Harassed, Threatened
The class action lawsuit was filed back in April, and the Jewish student who filed it claimed that from the start of the pro-Palestine encampment on Columbia’s campus, Jewish students were at a greater risk for harassment and physical harm, reports The Hill. The lawsuit alleged Jewish students were punched, shoved, spat on, blocked from attending classes, on the receiving end of hate speech, and weren’t allowed free movement on campus.
According to a statement by the attorney for the Jewish student, Columbia’s settlement of the lawsuit on Tuesday is a “a return to basic, shared principles of safety on campus for all Columbia students.”
Columbia has also agreed to “continue to work to facilitate opportunities for students and faculty to engage in safe, courteous, and constructive dialogue on the important issues that have been raised in recent months” but won’t interfere with public debates on campus, reports the Associated Press.
Due to the massive number of protests on college campuses that have been occurring since April, this summer’s Campus Safety Conference, being held in Atlanta July 8-10 will host a special session on lessons learned from the recent demonstrations. For more information and to register, visit CampusSafetyConference.com.
