Columbia University.Photo: lvivcenter
According to Vesty, Columbia University has faced serious financial losses due to the wave of anti-Semitic protests that erupted after 7 October 2023. As a result of the negative impact of these events, the number of donations to the university decreased by almost 30%.
Reduced donations
At the annual fundraising event for American universities, Columbia University received $21.4 million, a significant decline from the $30 million it raised in 2022. The total number of donors has also dropped significantly, with only 13,870 donors remaining out of 19,229, the lowest number since 2015.
This year was special not only because of the financial losses, but also because the fundraising figure fell for the first time in the event’s history. During the 24 hours of the fundraising marathon, Columbia University failed to exceed its previous results for the first time.
A blow to Barnard College
Barnard College, a women’s liberal arts institution located in Manhattan, was particularly hard hit. The college, known as a hotbed of pro-Palestinian protests, failed to raise even $2 million, receiving only $1.6 million – a 23.6% decrease from last year.
The college made headlines after dozens of its female students were arrested during protests on campus. One of the detainees, the daughter of a member of the House of Representatives, Ilhan Omar, was even suspended from school along with three other students because of her involvement in the Students for Justice for Palestine organisation.
The financial losses at Columbia University and Barnard College are indicative of the serious consequences of social and political events. These university protests not only highlight the growing divisions in society, but also point to the new challenges faced by educational institutions in a world where political and social movements can have a direct impact on education funding.
