Columbia University has expelled or suspended nearly 80 students—some for up to three years—and revoked academic degrees in connection with pro-Palestinian demonstrations opposing Israel’s war in Gaza, the university confirmed on Tuesday.
The disciplinary measures are the latest in a wave of sanctions tied to protests at Columbia, including the occupation of Butler Library during final exams in May 2025 and demonstrations during Alumni Weekend in 2024. The university cited disruptions to academic activities as violations of institutional rules.
“Such disruptions are contrary to university policies, and violations will result in disciplinary consequences,” Columbia said in a statement.
The student activist coalition Columbia University Apartheid Divest (CUAD), which has led calls for the university to divest from companies with ties to Israel’s military operations, condemned the punishments as excessive and politically motivated.
“These sanctions far exceed precedents set for other campus demonstrations or building occupations unrelated to Palestine,” CUAD said. “We will not be silenced. Our fight for Palestinian liberation continues.”
Student protests at Columbia in 2024, particularly the encampments on campus, were a catalyst for a global wave of student-led demonstrations against Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. Columbia eventually authorized New York City police to dismantle the encampments and arrest protesters.
Despite arrests and growing pressure from university leadership, students continued demonstrations into 2025. The Butler Library sit-in during spring exams reignited tensions, as protesters demanded financial divestment from firms connected to the Israeli defense sector and condemned Israel’s bombardment of Gaza.
Columbia’s Judicial Board said Tuesday’s announcement represents the final round of disciplinary decisions from that period, though it did not specify how many students were permanently expelled.
The university’s actions come amid rising political scrutiny. Columbia is currently negotiating with the Trump administration over the reinstatement of $400 million in federal funding that was frozen amid allegations the school failed to protect Jewish students from harassment.
Acting President Claire Shipman, a former trustee, has faced intense criticism from both student activists and government officials. She was publicly jeered during Columbia’s May commencement ceremony over her administration’s response to the protests.
The situation at Columbia reflects broader tensions between elite academic institutions and the federal government. Harvard University is similarly embroiled in legal battles with the Trump administration as it seeks to safeguard billions in federal support.
The crackdown on students also coincides with escalating humanitarian conditions in Gaza. On the same day Columbia released its disciplinary statement, Gaza health officials reported that at least 15 civilians—including a six-week-old infant—had died from starvation or malnutrition within a 24-hour span.
Meanwhile, Mahmoud Khalil, a prominent Columbia protest leader who was recently released from immigration detention in Louisiana, met with U.S. lawmakers in Washington, D.C. His case has become a flashpoint as the Trump administration vows to deport foreign pro-Palestinian activists it accuses of threatening public order.
Despite growing threats and crackdowns, student leaders and advocacy groups have vowed to continue pushing for university divestment and greater awareness of the crisis in Gaza.
