Three Columbia University deans placed on administrative leave over disparaging texts

Three deans at Columbia University have been placed on leave after screenshots of their texts during an antisemitism panel, which included vomit emojis and dismissive texts, were shared online.

Susan Chang-Kim, Matthew Patashnick and Cristen Kromm, all associate deans and administrators at Columbia, criticized an antisemitism panel on May 31 in a group chat, The Washington Free Beacon reported. The screenshots of those exchanges were soon shared online, even gaining the attention of Congress.

"The Dean of Columbia College informed his team today that three administrators have been placed on leave pending a university investigation of the incident that occurred at the College alumni reunion several weeks ago," a spokesperson for the school told Fox News Digital in a statement.

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"This is difficult to listen to but I'm trying to keep an open mind to learn about this point of view," Chang-Kim texted Josef Sorett, the dean of Columbia University, the screenshots show.

"Yup," he wrote back. 

Columbia University Dean Josef Sorett was involved in the group chat, along with Chang-Kim, Patashnick and Kromm. Sorett has since "reiterated his commitment to learning from this situation and other incidents over the last year to build a community of respect and healthy dialogue," but has not been removed from his position or placed on leave, the Free Beacon reported. 

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The House Committee on Education and the Workforce requested that Columbia release the text messages from the deans involved in the scandal. 

"I was appalled, but sadly not surprised, to learn Columbia administrators exchanged disparaging text messages during a panel that discussed antisemitism at the University," said Rep. Virginia Foxx, a Republican and chair of the committee.

Columbia was one of the first schools to see major pro-Palestinian student protests, with police eventually being called onto campus to eject students after they occupied Hamilton Hall. 

"We are committed to combatting antisemitism and taking sustained, concrete action to ensure Columbia is a campus where Jewish students and everyone in our community feels safe, valued, and able to thrive," a Columbia University spokesperson told Fox News Digital in a statement.