Third student expelled from Columbia's Barnard College for pro-Palestinian activism

Barnard College expelled a student on Friday, marking the third such expulsion by the school related to pro-Palestinian activism on campus in the past year. Disciplinary proceedings against the student had been initiated as early as ten months prior.

According to a statement released by the Columbia University Apartheid Divest (Cuad) Defense Working Group, the student was expelled for "allegedly protesting the university's investments in genocide and allegedly participating in the occupation of Hamilton Hall." Barnard College is a part of Columbia University.

This marks the first instance of a Columbia University student facing disciplinary action for alleged involvement in protests that erupted last spring. A week prior, two other students were [expelled](https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/columbia-university-barnard-college-first-to-expel-students-gaza-war) for organizing a protest in a classroom this past January, making Barnard the first university to expel students in connection with the Gaza war.

The expulsion of the third student occurred just a day before Columbia University was [notified](https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/federal-task-force-combat-antisemitism-announces-visits-10-college-campuses-experienced) by the Office of Public Affairs that a federal task force would be visiting the school, along with nine other universities, due to "awareness of allegations that schools may have failed to protect Jewish students and faculty from unlawful discrimination, in violation of federal law."

The task force was established under President Donald Trump's January 29th executive order, "[Additional Measures to Combat Anti-Semitism](https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/additional-measures-to-combat-anti-semitism/)," with the goal of "eradicating anti-Semitic harassment in schools and on university campuses."

The Cuad Defense Working Group stated that the student's expulsion is linked to the task force's announced visit to Columbia University. In a statement sent to Middle East Eye, they said, "Instead of communicating with students or divesting, Barnard is rushing to appease the US Department of Justice by sanctioning and expelling students."

According to a Cuad spokesperson, the student was initially suspended in mid-April of last year, followed by a second interim suspension notice on May 1st for allegedly occupying Hamilton Hall. The first interim suspension was "resolved," but the second remained in effect over the summer. In the fall, the student faced a third disciplinary action for a private social media post and was again interimly suspended on September 5, 2024. The suspension was scheduled to end on May 16, 2025.

Similar to the previous two expulsions, the third disciplinary process was overseen by an employee from Barnard's Student Intervention and Success Office. No other faculty members familiar with the student were involved.

Columbia University and other universities have faced criticism for subjecting students to disciplinary processes lasting over ten months, rather than allowing them to move on with their lives.

The first two expulsions triggered a week-long action by students. On February 26, nearly 100 students from Barnard and Columbia held a sit-in protest outside the office of Barnard College's dean in Milbank Hall.

According to Cuad, Barnard leadership threatened mass arrests of those participating in the sit-in protest. Approximately six hours into the student sit-in, Barnard President Laura Rosenbury and Barnard Vice President and Dean Leslie Grinage stated that they would offer amnesty to protesters who participated in the sit-in and agreed to meet with students the next day to discuss reversing the expulsions.

Despite agreeing on terms for negotiation as a condition for protesters leaving the building, the Cuad Defense Working Group stated that shortly before the agreed-upon meeting time, two faculty members acting as liaisons between Grinage, Rosenbury, and the students informed student negotiators that Barnard "sought to unilaterally change the entire terms of the meeting, thereby sabotaging negotiations." Negotiations are currently stalled.

As of Monday afternoon, over 122,000 people have signed a letter demanding the student's reinstatement.

In response to a request for comment on the statement released Monday, Barnard's Vice President issued the same statement as after the first two students were expelled, stating that she could not comment on "students' academic and disciplinary records" under federal law.

Her statement continued: "Expulsion is always an extraordinary measure, as is our commitment to respect, inclusion, and the integrity of the academic experience. At Barnard, we are unwavering in our defense of our values. At Barnard, we are unwavering in our rejection of all forms of harassment and discrimination."

Since Rosenbury took office in June 2023, she has presided over the suspension of 55 students in connection with pro-Palestinian protests.