Columbia Dean Involved in 'Antisemitic' Text Exchange Will Remain on Staff While Others Resign

One of the four Columbia University deans involved in exchanging "deeply upsetting" texts with "antisemitic tropes" will remain on staff, while the other three have resigned.

Susan Chang-Kim, former vice dean and chief administrative officer of Columbia College; Matthew Patashnick, former associate dean for student and family support; and Cristen Kromm, former dean of undergraduate student life, left their positions on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Columbia College Dean Josef Sorrett plans to stay on staff.

The controversy erupted after the Washington Free Beacon reported that the deans had exchanged sarcastic messages about student complaints of antisemitism during a panel discussion on Jewish life at Columbia last May. The messages were later publicly released by a congressional committee investigating antisemitism at Columbia.

Chang-Kim dismissed the students' concerns, texting, "comes from such a place of privilege... hard to hear the woe is me."

Patashnick suggested Jewish students were exploiting the situation for "huge fundraising potential." Kromm commented, "Amazing what $$$$ can do."

Sorrett also replied "LMAO" to one of Chang-Kim's other messages seemingly mocking Kraft Center for Jewish Student Life Executive Director Brian Cohen.

The texts were revealed during a period of heightened tension on campus, following pro-Palestinian protests that had led to arrests and significant media coverage. The messages were exchanged during a campus event titled "Jewish Life on Campus: Past, Present, and Future," where Jewish campus leaders voiced their concerns about antisemitism.

In a statement last month, Sorrett apologized for the part he played in the exchange.

"I am deeply sorry that this happened in a community that I lead and that I was part of any of the exchanges, and I pledge to spearhead the change we need to ensure this never happens again," he said.

In July, university President Minouche Shafik called the texts "unacceptable" and that the school was taking action to hold those involved accountable.

"Whether intended as such or not, these sentiments are unacceptable and deeply upsetting, conveying a lack of seriousness about the concerns and the experiences of members of our Jewish community that is antithetical to our University's values and the standards we must uphold in our community," Shafik wrote.

University Provost Angela Olinto also said her office would launch new anti-discrimination training that includes antisemitism training for faculty and staff this fall.