3 Columbia deans resign over texts that 'touched on ... antisemitic tropes'

Three deans at Columbia University have resigned, putting an end to a saga known on campus known as “Textgate.” The three were removed from their positions in June after revelations that they had sent what the university called “unacceptable and deeply upsetting” texts that “touched on ancient antisemitic tropes.”

University spokesperson Samantha Slater confirmed the resignations but offered no further comment.

The three deans were texting sarcastic and mocking messages about students’ complaints of antisemitism during a panel discussion on Jewish life on campus last May. The texts were photographed by someone sitting behind one of the deans, and first reported by The Washington Free Beacon, a conservative website, before they were publicly released by a congressional committee investigating allegations of antisemitism at Columbia.

Susan Chang-Kim, formerly the vice dean and chief administrative officer of the undergraduate school Columbia College, disparaged the students’ complaints, texting that it “comes from such a place of privilege… hard to hear the woe is me.”

Matthew Patashnick, formerly the associate dean for student and family support, suggested Jews on campus were just trying “to take full advantage of this moment. Huge fundraising potential.” And Cristen Kromm, formerly the dean of undergraduate student life, texted vomiting emojis and wrote, “Amazing what $$$$ can do.”

None of the three responded to requests for comment.

The deans were removed from their positions last month but still kept on staff. At the time, President Nemat Shafik denounced the deans for “conveying a lack of seriousness about the concerns of and the experiences of our Jewish community that is antithetical to our University’s values.”

Columbia senior Eden Yadegar called the resignations “long overdue.”

The texts were “a punch in the gut” she says, and especially offensive that they were coming from the very deans “tasked with ensuring that students are included and can succeed on campus.” She says she has brought formal complaints to the deans’ office before only to be disappointed by their response — or lack thereof, and is now party to a lawsuit accusing Columbia of discriminatory behavior against Jewish students.

Yadegar also called it disappointing to not hear “a proper apology from the deans themselves.” She adds, Columbia has far more to do to address what she calls a culture of antisemitism: “How did Columbia allow us to get to the point where it is so mainstream? And what are they doing about it?”

The point was echoed by David M. Schizer, a dean emeritus at Columbia Law School, who was part of the panel on Jewish life where the three deans were texting. He’s also a chair of Columbia’s antisemitism task force. “There are real problems at Columbia,” Schizer said. “We need to make sure that the campus is welcoming for all students, including Jewish and Israeli students. This requires an "all-hands-on-deck" approach. We need to change our culture. We have work to do.

The school has been under fire since the Israel-Hamas war prompted volatile pro-Palestinian protests and some Jewish students complained of an increasingly hostile environment. Columbia is currently among many schools now facing congressional investigation over their handling of the complaints. The university is also facing a Department of Education inquiry into complaints of discrimination against Palestinians, Arabs and Muslims.