Columbia University has announced a new policy for the fall term, restricting access to its Manhattan campus to only those with school IDs as part of efforts to deal with potential anti-Israel protests and maintain safety on the Morningside Heights campus. This comes after the university had relaxed its color-coded threat-monitoring system earlier in the summer.
In a notice to the community, Columbia University’s chief operating officer, Cas Holloway, stated that this change is intended to keep the community safe amid reports of potential disruptions on college campuses across the country as the new school year approaches. He expressed particular concern about non-affiliates who may not have the best interests of the Columbia community in mind, especially given recent events such as anti-Israel vandals targeting his home.
While guests will still be allowed on campus, they must now go through a new registration process implemented in June and present a government-issued ID. The university has limited its entry points to five locations around the campus, including three on 116th Street, one on 114th Street, and one on 120th Street.
These new rules will remain in effect until further notice, as authorities work to maintain safety and order on campus. The decision comes after anti-Israel vandals targeted Holloway’s home, drawing Hamas-themed graffiti, dumping paint, and releasing live insects in the building.
The crackdown follows a series of violent anti-Israel protests that took place on Columbia’s Morningside Heights campus earlier this year, leading to hundreds of arrests and multiple cases of people breaking into and occupying historic Hamilton Hall. The university received significant backlash for its handling of these protests, which led to the establishment of encampments by students and confrontations with police officers.
As the new academic year begins on September 3, it remains uncertain whether the anti-Israel protests that had ceased after the end of the spring semester will resurface on campus. For now, Columbia University is taking steps to ensure the safety and well-being of its students, staff, and visitors by implementing stricter access controls and monitoring for potential threats.
