13 Federal Judges Won't Hire Columbia Graduates Over Campus Protests

Thirteen federal judges declared on Monday that they will not hire new graduates of Columbia University barring “extraordinary change” at the college.

For Context: In recent weeks, Columbia has become the focal point of campus protests surrounding the Israel-Hamas conflict, with pro-Palestinian student protesters having multiple confrontrations with the New York Police Department.

Key Quotes: In a letter sent to Columbia President Minouche Shafik, the judges state that since the Oct. 7 attack, the college has “become ground zero for the explosion of student disruptions, anti-semitism, and hatred for diverse viewpoints on campuses across the Nation.” The judges call for “Serious consequences for students and faculty who have participated in campus disruptions and violated established rules concerning the use of university facilities and public spaces and threats against fellow members of the university community.” The judges accuse Columia of having a double standard concerning the protesters, stating, “If Columbia had been faced with a campus uprising of religious conservatives upset because they view abortion as a tragic genocide, we have no doubt that the university’s response would have been profoundly different.” The letter concluded, “Considering recent events, and absent extraordinary change, we will not hire anyone who joins the Columbia University community—whether as undergraduates or law students—beginning with the entering class of 2024.”

How the Media Covered It: The announcement was covered moderately by right-rated outlets and scarcely by left-rated outlets. The National Review (Right bias) referred to the protesters as “anti-Israel” while Reuters (Center bias) labeled them “pro-Palestinian.”