WASHINGTON – Education and the Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) today issued six subpoenas as part of the ongoing effort to root out antisemitism at Columbia University. The individuals subpoenaed include the interim president, Katrina Armstrong, and the Co-Chairs and Vice Chairs of the University’s Board of Trustees.
“Columbia should be a partner in our efforts to ensure Jewish students have a safe learning environment on its campus, but instead, university administrators have slow rolled the investigation, repeatedly failing to turn over necessary documents. The information we have obtained points to a continued pattern of negligence towards antisemitism and a refusal to stand up to the radical students and faculty responsible for it. The goal of this investigation has always been to protect Jewish students and faculty, and if compulsory measures are necessary to obtain the documents the Committee requires, so be it,”said Chairwoman Foxx.
In the subpoena cover letter, Foxx writes:“On April 26, following the establishment of the so-called Gaza Solidarity Encampment, which by Columbia’s own admission created a hostile environment in violation of Title VI, the Committee sent Columbia an updated set of priority requests. The Committee identified three categories of materials as its top priorities: communications from specified custodians; Board of Trustees meeting minutes, notes, and summaries; and information on disciplinary cases relating to the encampment or from the period since the establishment of the encampment…Despite the Committee’s numerous efforts to identify its priorities, Columbia has failed to satisfy these requests.”
The priority documents identified in and compelled by the subpoena include:
All documents and communications since October 7, 2023, referring and relating to antisemitism, including those related to the Gaza Solidarity Encampment involving key Columbia officials including the University’s then-President, Provost, Chief Operating Officer, and Co-Chairs and Vice Chairs of the University’s Board of Trustees.
All Board of Trustees meeting minutes, notes, summaries, and recordings since April 17, 2024, whether formal or informal, and all Board of Trustees meeting minutes, notes, summaries, and recordings since October 7, 2023, referring to antisemitism and/or Israel.
All documents and communications referring or relating to alleged antisemitic incidents and/or conduct violations relating to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by Columbia students, faculty, and staff since October 7.
