The following was sent to the Board of Trustees and Acting President Shipman on Sept 27, 2025….

On behalf of a grassroots organization of people who work at Columbia…

Columbia is now operating under a federal agreement that places new oversight on our funding, programs, hiring, and public commitments. We recognize the challenges this creates for the University’s leadership. Yet these pressures make it all the more important to reaffirm Columbia’s core mission and values. Compliance must not come at the expense of academic freedom, free expression, or community safety. As Columbia faculty, staff, researchers, and teachers, we call on our leaders to defend our University, our values, and our community in the ways below.