Few recent stories illustrate this betrayal of principle more clearly than the disturbing revelations about Columbia University’s interim president, Claire Shipman. According to internal communications obtained and published by the Washington Free Beacon, Shipman privately called for the addition of an Arab board member, while suggesting the removal of a Jewish trustee who had previously spoken out against the rise of antisemitism on campus. “We need to get somebody from the Middle East or who is Arab on our board. Quickly I think,” Shipman texted in January. Days later, Shipman wrote of Trustee Shoshana Shendelman: “She shouldn’t be on the board.” Let us be clear: the problem here is not the desire for diverse representation. True diversity which includes variables like background, identity, and thought is a hallmark of a healthy institution. The problem is when identity becomes a political calculation, and when the inclusion of one group is explicitly tied to the exclusion of another. When Identity Politics Trumps Principles Shipman’s private remarks betray a dangerous mindset: that credibility of Columbia’s leadership rests not on the moral courage or qualifications of its members, but on how well they conform to ideological optics. In this case, Shendelman’s “offense” wasn’t a lack of diversity, rather it was her outspoken opposition to antisemitism on Columbia’s campus during a year of historic unrest, encampments, and violent threats targeting Jewish students. According to the Free Beacon, Shipman’s comments came just weeks after Columbia faced public scrutiny for failing to protect Jewish students from harassment and intimidation. Rather than embrace a trustee willing to address that growing crisis, Shipman suggested she be removed and replaced. This is not diversity. This is evidence of discrimination under the guise of inclusion. A Pattern of Double Standards This episode doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Columbia University has been one of the epicenters of campus protests since October 7, 2023, when terrorist attacks in Israel triggered widespread political activity on campuses across the country. What began as anti-war demonstrations quickly morphed into chants calling for the destruction of Israel and justifications for political violence. After all, students affiliated with the group, Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine publicly launched and handed out their inaugural edition of “The Columbia Intifada” despite the Ivy League University denouncing their publication. Jewish students at Columbia reported feeling unsafe, unsupported, and in some cases, explicitly threatened. Many alumni and donors began to speak out. Some trustees did as well. Rather than treat these concerns seriously and strive to protect all students equally, Columbia’s top leadership appears to have unethically calculated which voices were politically advantageous and which were not. Claire Shipman’s remarks reflect a growing trend in higher education: the preference for ideological conformity over principled leadership. Tolerance Requires Courage, Not Curation The New Tolerance Campaign (NTC) believes that institutions must consistently reflect their stated values and operate without bias. That means rejecting selective outrage. It means defending freedom of conscience for everyone, not just those with the most fashionable beliefs. And it means acknowledging that diversity and inclusion are not mutually exclusive with moral clarity. Wanting to remove a trustee for calling out antisemitism is not progress; it’s a giant step backward. Appointing someone based solely on ethnicity or political optics is not empowerment; it’s tokenism. True tolerance demands more than hashtags, hollow statements, and civil righteousness. It demands institutional integrity, even when the political winds may shift. The Call to Action As a nonprofit committed to defending the principles of real tolerance, NTC calls on Columbia University to: Denounce identity-based discrimination in all forms, including decisions that exclude individuals based on their religious or political views. Protect trustees, faculty, and students who raise legitimate concerns about antisemitism, especially when they challenge the status quo. Follow the transparent standards for trustee membership as outlined in the Columbia University “Trustees’ By-Laws And Rules Of Order” document, where qualifications, experience and values are prioritized over ideological posturing. Reaffirm their commitment to the First Amendment principles of free expression, religious liberty, and ideological diversity. On Final Thought Columbia University Interim President Claire Shipman’s texts are not just inappropriate, they expose the fragility of performative tolerance in American institutions. If inclusion can only exist at the expense of dissent, then we’ve lost the entire plot. Columbia University has an opportunity — right now — to model true leadership. That doesn’t mean chasing public approval or checking identity boxes. It means defending all communities on campus — Jewish, Arab, Muslim, Christian, atheist, conservative, progressive — with equal commitment and equal courage. At NTC, our mission is to hold powerful institutions accountable to the very standards of inclusion, fairness, and equality they publicly claim to uphold. When these standards are applied selectively, favoring one group while excluding another, true tolerance dies, and performative activism reigns supreme. We will continue to monitor this unacceptable action by Shipman while continuing to shine a light on storied institutions that violate the values they claim to champion. Because tolerance, when applied unevenly, is not tolerance at all.
