According to a statement released Monday, Barnard College has agreed to a slew of demands, including prohibiting masks at protests and declining to meet or engage in negotiations with a coalition of pro-Palestinian student organisations, in order to settle a lawsuit alleging the college has not done enough to combat antisemitism on campus.
To combat allegations of discrimination, the Manhattan College, a Columbia University affiliate exclusively for women, will also appoint a new Title VI coordinator. A statement outlining a “zero tolerance” policy for harassment of Jewish and Israeli students will be sent to all staff members and students starting the next semester.
Barnard and attorneys representing two Jewish advocacy groups, Students Against Antisemitism and StandWithUs Centre for Legal Justice, which filed the complaint last February on behalf of a few Jewish and Israeli students, jointly announced the settlement in a statement.
The deal “reflects our ongoing commitment to maintaining a campus that is safe, welcoming, and inclusive for all members of our community,” according to a statement released by Laura Ann Rosenbury, president of Barnard.
Additionally, several staff and students immediately objected to the terms of the agreement, accusing the institution of giving in to a legal tactic meant to suppress lawful pro-Palestinian activities on campus.
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