Student activism at Columbia University
The 1811 commencement was cancelled midway through its proceedings after graduating senior John B. Stevenson refused to make edits to a speech that advocated for more direct democracy in Republican governance.
Columbia disaffiliated from the IDA and scrapped the plans for the controversial gym, building a subterranean physical fitness center under the north end of campus instead.
Many of the Class of '68 walked out of their graduation and held a counter-commencement on Low Plaza with a picnic following at Morningside Park, the place where the protests began.
The protests hurt Columbia financially as many potential students chose to attend other universities and some alumni refused to donate money to the school.
The initial (and partial) Columbia divestment focused largely on bonds and financial institutions directly involved with the South African regime.
[21][23][24] After the debate, the president of the university, Lee C. Bollinger, stated that he did not favor reinstating Columbia's ROTC program, because of the military's anti-gay policies.
ROTC lost the vote (which would not have been binding on the administration, and did not include graduate students, faculty, or alumni) by a fraction of a percentage point.
[29] Aligning themselves with the growing Black Lives Matter movement and in conversation with the heightened attention on race and the system of mass incarceration, CPD student activists hosted events to raise awareness of the issue and worked to involve large numbers of members of the Columbia and West Harlem community in campaign activities.
[31][32][33] Tuition for undergraduates was at the time $58,920 for an academic year, with the total cost eclipsing $80,000 when expenses including fees, room and board, books and travel were factored in.
[35] Students stated they had won a number of concessions, as the university announced it would freeze tuition, suspend fees on late payments, increase spring financial aid and provide a limited amount of summer grants.
[31][35] The university in February 2021 announced that the Board of Trustees had finally formalized its commitment to divest from publicly traded oil and gas companies.
[35] The strike had been largely organized by the campus chapter of Young Democratic Socialists of America, which had partnered with other student groups to support the action.
The protests began on April 17, 2024, when pro-Palestinian students established an encampment of approximately fifty tents on the university's campus, and ended on June 2, 2024.
[38] On April 18, University President Minouche Shafik authorized New York Police Department to enter campus and remove protesting students in the encampment.
