Columbia University has given anti-Israel protesters until 2 p.m. Monday to dismantle their encampment on campus after negotiations failed to reach a peaceful resolution.
Students that do not comply face suspension, the university said. Protesters are ordered to leave by 2 p.m., identify themselves to a university official, and sign a form committing to abiding by all university policies through June 2025, the school said.
“We regret we need to take these actions, but we must restore order to the campus,” the university said.
The university said it would offer an alternative location on campus after exams and commencement ceremonies have concluded. The Morningside Heights campus has been closed to anyone without Columbia University identification, the school said.
Negotiations had been ongoing since Wednesday between academic leaders and the protesters, with the goal of dismantling the encampment, University President Minouche Shafik said. Dozens have protesters have been arrested since the encampment was established.
“Both sides in these discussions put forward robust and thoughtful offers and worked in good faith to reach common ground,” Shafik said. “We thank them all for their diligent work, long hours, and careful effort and wish they had reached a different outcome.”
The protesters had called for the school to divest from Israel, which Shafik refused, while the protesters were asked to commit to following the university’s rules going forward.
Protests have erupted at other campuses, including Emory University, the University of Southern California, and the University of Texas-Austin.
Shafik said Columbia offered to develop an expedited timeline to review proposals by an advisory committee that considers divestment. Columbia also offered to publish a process for students to access a list of Columbia’s direct investment holdings.
Columbia offered to make investments in health and education in Gaza, Shafik said.
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