Carlos Changemaker
When a collective of pro-Palestinian demonstrators set up tents on Columbia University’s Manhattan campus on April 17, their objective was clear: to pressure the institution to sever financial connections with Israel, including suspending an academic initiative in Tel Aviv. They stood firm until their demand was met.
Over a month later, the demand proved too steep. Talks between university officials and student representatives deteriorated. Law enforcement detained hundreds of protesters in the subsequent weeks, with numerous students facing suspension. The university became a focal point for a youth-driven uproar over the Israel-Hamas conflict, triggering similar demonstrations on college campuses nationwide.
Their primary condition mirrored a common one in American higher education: urging the university to discontinue receiving endowment funds from Israeli government-associated entities, particularly those potentially benefiting from the Gaza conflict. Endowments, which can amount to billions especially in prominent research universities like Columbia, are intricate and veiled, often overseen by hedge funds and linked to numerous income sources.
Understanding divestment:Pro-Palestinian demonstrators push for university divestment from Israel. Here’s the concept.
Another request from the protesters attracted less attention.
In 2019, Columbia initiated a dual-degree program with Tel Aviv University. The program allowed students to earn two undergraduate degrees by studying in Israel for two years and completing their studies at Columbia’s School of General Studies in Manhattan upon return to the U.S. In 2021, the program admitted approximately 60 students. Columbia offers similar international programs in collaboration with other universities in key global locations like Dublin and Hong Kong, enrolling hundreds of students.
Despite protesters urging the university to terminate its ties with Tel Aviv University, Columbia’s administration remained resolute. They viewed the partnership as a source of pride, not up for discussion, highlighting the acceptance and support of Israeli students, faculty, and staff on campus.
“Columbia University values and embraces the Israeli community on our campus, proud of their contributions to our broader community,” mentioned Columbia spokesperson Samantha Slater in a statement to USA TODAY. She affirmed the strong backing for the dual-degree program with Tel Aviv University.
Unfolding the Columbia scenario:Alumni pressure and a crime-conscious mayor play key roles in leading to the Columbia arrests
Columbia’s insistence on maintaining the partnership sheds light on the complex interplay between the divestment movement on college campuses and broader trends in higher education – encompassing the call for study abroad opportunities, financial aid competition, tuition revenue dependence, and the intricate wealth distribution at even the wealthiest institutes influencing students’ lives.
In 2019, when Charissa Ratliff-D’addario decided to transition from Spokane Falls Community College, her New York City aspirations led her to Columbia, the institution she had long admired. Moving to start her journey at the School of General Studies, where the dual-degree program with Tel Aviv University is housed, Ratliff-D’addario encountered financial aid hurdles, forcing her to resort to private loans. As a nontraditional student at Columbia, she was not the sole individual confronting financial challenges.
Financial aid inequities persist at Columbia’s School of General Studies, known for enrolling mature students with diverse experiences, who often find themselves receiving less financial support compared to their counterparts seated in classrooms. Despite a significant surge in enrollment numbers over the past decade, financial assistance disparities remain stark for General Studies students, many of whom manage families and jobs.
Background on Columbia:How the university emerged as a focal point amid the Israel-Hamas war disagreement
“It’s a tuition-centric environment,” Ratliff-D’addario expressed. Financial burdens weigh heavily on many, a reality entrenched in the financial aid complexities at Columbia.
For a full-time undergraduate residing on campus, Columbia estimates an annual expense of about $90,000, though financial aid considerations can significantly alter this figure. The rising tuition at Columbia mirrors a national trend, accentuating the institution’s status as one of the wealthiest but priciest schools in the U.S.
At Columbia, each academic school bears its financial responsibilities and grapples with significant costs. The Faculty of Arts and Sciences, home to the School of General Studies, confronts budgetary dilemmas, particularly escalating financial aid expenses.
Nicholas Dirks, who oversaw Columbia’s Arts and Sciences division from 2004 to 2013, acknowledged the financial challenges and laborious efforts involved in securing additional aid for General Studies students, portraying it as an ongoing struggle.
Reflecting a broader push in higher education to expand global opportunities for undergraduates, Columbia initiated its first dual-degree program in 2010 with Sciences Po in France. By orchestrating partnerships that alleviate financial aid obstacles for General Studies students, Columbia expanded its dual- and joint-degree endeavors, fostering substantial growth in student enrollment and educational offerings.
Michael Thaddeus, a mathematics professor at Columbia, noted the alignment of General Studies’ rapid growth with financial mandates, emphasizing the necessity to bolster revenue streams. While some dispute the revenue-centric narrative, financial construals affirm its role in fortifying Columbia’s financial framework.
Despite recent strides in financial support for General Studies students, the financial aid divide persists, leading students like Ratliff-D’addario to advocate for enhanced assistance through initiatives like “Equality for GS.”
Accounting professor Howard Bunsis from Eastern Michigan University, invited to scrutinize Columbia’s finances, dismissed assertions that terminating dual-degree programs would yield significant fiscal benefits, casting light on perceived financial constraints in the higher education landscape.
“In the realm of higher education finance, institutions like Columbia portraying financial distress raise concerns,” he remarked.
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