Columbia University has expelled or suspended nearly 80 students and revoked several academic degrees in connection with a series of pro-Palestinian protests on campus, the institution confirmed Tuesday. Some disciplinary measures extend up to three years, marking one of the most significant crackdowns on student activism in recent campus history.
The university said the latest sanctions are tied to student-led disruptions at Butler Library in May 2025 and during Alumni Weekend in spring 2024.
“Disruptions to academic activities are in violation of University policies and rules, and such violations will necessarily generate consequences,” the university stated.
The Columbia University Apartheid Divest (CUAD) coalition, which has called on the institution to cut all financial ties with Israel, condemned the disciplinary actions.
“The university’s sanctions on students hugely exceed precedent for teach-ins or non-Palestine-related building occupations,” CUAD said in a statement. “We will not be deterred. We are committed to the struggle for Palestinian liberation.”
Columbia became a flashpoint in 2024 for nationwide and global campus protests over Israel’s war in Gaza, with student encampments and demonstrations drawing widespread attention. The university eventually permitted NYPD officers to enter campus to dismantle protest sites and arrest dozens of participants.
Despite the enforcement measures, student-led activism persisted. During final exams in May 2025, protesters occupied Butler Library, demanding that Columbia divest from companies tied to Israel’s military operations and expressing solidarity with Palestinian civilians amid the ongoing conflict.
The university’s Judicial Board said the sanctions issued this week represent the “final set of findings” from that protest period. However, it did not specify how many students were permanently expelled or had degrees rescinded.
Columbia is also under political scrutiny, currently engaged in negotiations with the Trump administration over the reinstatement of roughly $400 million in federal funding. The funds were suspended after the administration accused the university of failing to “meaningfully protect Jewish students against severe and pervasive harassment.”
Acting Columbia President Claire Shipman has faced criticism from students and faculty over her handling of the protests. She was booed by graduates during the May 2025 commencement ceremony.
The developments at Columbia reflect growing tensions between elite universities and the federal government over campus protests related to Israel and Palestine. Harvard University, which is also facing potential loss of federal funds, is currently challenging the administration’s decision in court.
The disciplinary measures coincided with worsening humanitarian conditions in Gaza. On the same day Columbia announced its actions, health officials in the territory reported at least 15 deaths—including that of a six-week-old infant—due to starvation and malnutrition.
Meanwhile, Mahmoud Khalil, a prominent Columbia protest leader previously targeted for deportation by the Trump administration, met with lawmakers in Washington, D.C. following his recent release from immigration custody in Louisiana. The administration has pledged to remove foreign nationals who participate in pro-Palestinian activism.
Despite mounting institutional and political pressure, CUAD and other student groups have pledged to continue their advocacy for Palestinian rights and for divestment from firms linked to Israel’s military occupation.
