April 28th, 2026
Dear President-Designate Jennifer Mnookin,
In anticipation of your upcoming presidency at our University, we write to you as students, faculty, staff, and alumni of Columbia, to voice our support for your leadership and to
invite you to join us in a critical examination of the crossroads we face as an institution. Over the past several years, the decisions of the Board of Trustees, Office of General Counsel, and other senior Administration have resulted in serious failures in governance and irreparably eroded trust in the University’s existing structures of leadership. Although some recent difficulties at Columbia have been the unfortunate and unpredictable results of external pressures, many others can be directly attributed to decision-making by our own leadership. Therefore, this letter is intended both as a statement of our concern and as constructive guidance as you join our institution during this critical moment.
Many of us are longtime members of the Columbia community, and have witnessed three
Presidents in recent memory whose legacies will be defined by instability and institutional crisis. In this context of presidential turnover, it is essential that your arrival to Columbia be accompanied by an immediate and accurate grasp of the issues facing our institution. Our hope is that you will take swift measures to address the widespread failures of governance that will go on to constrain and define your presidency if left unresolved.
The following non-exhaustive list contains eight serious grievances demonstrating the broader systemic inadequacies at our institution. We emphasize that under normal circumstances, any single one of these grievances would have been sufficient to warrant serious reevaluation, course correction, and potential consequences for the leadership responsible.
Since the 1990s Columbia has received complaints that Robert Hadden, then a Columbia OB-GYN physician, was sexually abusing patients during gynecological exams. Hadden reportedly assaulted hundreds of women at Columbia’s Medical Center, and despite being apprehended in 2012, he was briefly allowed to return to practice after leaders at the medical school signed a letter supporting his reinstatement. Hadden received a 20-year prison sentence in 2023. Despite the University Senate unanimously supporting an independent investigation into the Hadden case, the Administration eventually partnered with an outside firm to produce a final report which has been criticized by victims as part of “an institutional cover-up”. The limitation of the report to events prior to 2012, for example, omits mention of Columbia’s most serious legal and ethical violations, including deliberate destruction of evidence and intimidation of victims. The report also suggests potential conflicts of interest with Board members in close communication with external investigators. Since the release of the report, Columbia has not terminated the employment of any personnel involved in the Hadden case, with members of medical center leadership involved with Hadden still remaining at the University. To date, Columbia has agreed to pay in excess of 1 billion in settlement fees to the victims, with little information as to how these funds were sourced and the impacts of this financial burden on other university functions. In March 2026, the New York Attorney General launched an investigation into Columbia related to this case.
Notably, even as the Board of Trustees have sought to limit the remit of the University Senate, it was the Senate that led continued calls for accountability and transparency in the Hadden case.
Columbia’s agreement with the federal government represents a dangerous and unprecedented degree of governmental interference in our academic mission and legitimizes the use of political extortion on institutions of higher education in America. In this agreement, Columbia agreed to pay a $200 million settlement to the government so as to secure the return of $400 million in federal funding that had been unlawfully withheld. In entering into this agreement, Columbia stands alone in refusing to pursue lawsuits and other legal means to restore funding, which other Universities facing similar threats have successfully employed. Although Administration has repeatedly emphasized that the agreement does not impact research, hiring, or academic programming at Columbia, the proposal of a new major in SIPA is cited in the recently completed compliance report as a condition of fulfilling the terms of the agreement. Furthermore, the Administration has not disclosed the scope of data and information being shared with the government as a result of this agreement, despite repeated requests from the community.
On March 11, 2026, President Shipman and Provost Olinto announced, in a campus-wide email titled Investing in the Undergraduate Experience, a series of "essential investments…in the undergraduate student experience” to accompany significant increases to the undergraduate population. These changes were announced despite the open letter from Undergraduate Student Council Leaders “in strong opposition to undergraduate expansion” signed by nearly 1,400 students, faculty, and staff. The current plan does not include any benchmarks necessary to accommodate expanded student populations, and risks aggravating existing problems of overcrowding in our classrooms, housing residences, dining halls, and libraries. The ad hoc hiring of additional instructors to meet teaching demands, moreover, endangers the quality of instruction at Columbia and is especially threatening to the reputation of the Core program that is Columbia’s hallmark. It has not been clearly communicated to the Columbia community why the University would pursue this expansion despite the obvious hardships it would impose on students, faculty, and staff, or whether this is yet another concession to the federal government as per the agreement, which included the demand that Columbia “examine its business model and take steps to decrease financial dependence on international student enrollment” (§ 22).
Subsequent to the March 13th 2025 letter from the federal government, Columbia moved the University Judicial Board, responsible for adjudicating cases of student misconduct, from the Senate’s office to the office of the Provost. They also removed its two student members. The absence of student representation in the membership of the University's chief disciplinary body marks Columbia as an outlier amongst its Ivy League peers.
Months later, in the summer of 2025, the Board and Administration rewrote the University Statutes, including the Rules of University Conduct, without notifying or consulting with the campus community on these changes. The lack of Senate consultation in particular violates longstanding principles of shared governance at Columbia. The extensive changes include removing respondents’ right to request an open hearing (§448, p. 153, relevant stipulation was removed in August 2025), removing guardrails preventing disciplinary proceedings from being recorded on a respondent’s permanent record in cases where they are found not responsible for violations (§449, p. 156, relevant stipulation was removed in August 2025), and limiting respondents’ right to access University documents and camera footage relevant to their case (§446, p. 148).
Columbia’s Board has continued to undermine rights to free speech even absent direct pressures from the federal government: while the changes to the Rules of University Conduct pertaining to protest and demonstration activity appear in Columbia’s 2025 agreement with the federal government (§27, p. 11-12), the changes to jurisdiction, disciplinary proceedings and sanctions do not appear to be required by the agreement. At present, the Office of General Counsel is involved in all student disciplinary processes, whether under OIE, CSSI or UJB jurisdiction. These changes violate decades-long standards for student discipline at Columbia and increasingly create systematic injustices for students who cannot access legal counsel.
Recent documents in the Epstein files present credible evidence for the association of Columbia affiliates with Jeffery Epstein, including accepting donations, knowingly offering admissions to victims of human sex trafficking, and treating Epstein victims in Columbia medical clinics. Although many of these interactions took place within the dental school, affiliates are spread across the University. Notable individuals include
(i) Law school lecturer Jay Lefkowitz, who headed Epstein’s 2007 plea deal with federal prosecutors. Lefkowitz continued socializing with Epstein after concluding work on his legal case, and recently negotiated Columbia’s $200 million agreement with the federal government.
(ii) Nobel laureate Richard Axel, who actively socialized with Epstein until late 2016, and provided him in one instance, advice on his original legal case involving the solicitation of minors. Axel has retained his position and other University honors, including the rare title of University Professor.
(iii) Donor Mort Zuckerman, who socialized with Epstein who negotiated the Zuckerman donation for the Mind Brain and Behavior Institute in 2012.
While other Universities, including Harvard, have dissociated themselves from Epstein affiliates and commissioned investigations into Epstein connections at their respective institutions, Columbia has thus far rejected comparable courses of action.
Since the 2024 protests Columbia has placed campus under indefinite lockdown, in violation of city law and against widespread campus disapproval. Columbia has also retained external investigators to surveil and engage in other coercive practices against students. These massive and costly operations have persisted even as budget cuts occur across the University, including layoffs, research cuts, and the discontinuing of the customary annual salary increases for faculty, staff, and graduate students.
Since 2024 the Columbia Administration and Board of Trustees have taken deliberate measures to undermine the University Senate, the University’s one forum for democratic decision-making, weakening the traditional and longstanding tripartite structure of shared governance between the Board, the Administration, and the Senate. Significant actions include:
(i) Calling NYPD in April 2024 to arrest student protestors after a tent protest on a campus lawn, despite the opposition of the Senate Executive Committee
(ii) Publicly accusing the Senate of undermining student discipline when the Senate acted to ensure due process for student protestors, in accordance with the University Statutes. This issue is now under litigation in the New York Supreme Court
(iii) Unilaterally rewriting the University Statutes in May, June, and August of 2025, without Senate consultation
(iv) Establishing parallel committees with membership chosen by administration, thus ignoring the appropriate elected body and developing policy without further consultation, including Committees such as:
(a) Advisory Committee on Conduct and Accountability
(b) Provost’s Advisory Committee on Academic Freedom (PACAF)
(c) Regional Review Committee
(d) Task Forces on Higher Education
(e) University Scientific Strategic Advisory Group
(f) Faculty Leadership Council
(g) Faculty Advisory Committee on the Humanities
(h) Provost’s Advisory Council for Academic Advancement
(j) Committee on Institutional Voice
(v) Commissioning the Senate Review and announcing recommendations to be implemented by trustees and to establish a standing task force to “review and clarify the duties and powers of the Senate”, including determining duties and powers to be “eliminated or modified” .
The Board has failed to remove members credibly accused of serious misconduct, as well as failing to remove emeritus members from significant positions of power, thus violating the spirit of the term limits of Board positions. Recent examples include Trustee Emerita Esta Stecher, who chaired the Senate Review committee, and Trustee Emeritus Jonathan Lavine, who chaired the 2025 Presidential Search Committee. The Board did not publicly disclose its own bylaws until 2025.
As students, faculty, staff and alumni, our aim in bringing these issues to light is not only to communicate a comprehensive description of recent events at Columbia, but also to express to you our priorities, values and hopes for a better Columbia where our educational mission can be pursued by a University community empowered to share in shaping our institution, as has always been the Columbia way. We recognize the challenges you face as you inherit these unsolved problems at our institution as our incoming President. And yet we believe that, despite these recent setbacks, we can once more become an institution that stands as a national leader in education, research, integrity, and freedom of expression. Achieving this ambition, however, will require, first and foremost, an honest assessment of the errors of leadership that have led us to our current position. We look forward to your leadership and hope to see you address the grievances we have enumerated here with clarity, fairness, and ethical responsibility.
We hope you will call on us to work with you in the pursuit of institutional flourishing at Columbia.
Respectfully,
Aaron Freedman, Student (GSAS PhD 2028)
Sydney Maguire, Student (GSAS Earth and Environmental Sciences, 2028)
Lara de la Rosa, Student (GSAS Philosophy/27)
Anonymous Student (Grad SEAS PhD 2028)
Anonymous Student (Teachers College)
Anonymous Student (Engineering PhD)
Anonymous Student (GSAS PhD in Philosophy; Spring 2026)
Eliana Steele, Student (Barnard Class of 2026)
Anonymous Faculty (Barnard)
Julia Schles, Student (Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Master of Arts, Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology. Graduation anticipated May 2027)
Anonymous Student (GSAS PhD Chemical Physics 2029)
Anonymous Student (Barnard BA Psychology & Human Rights 2026)
Abhyudaya Tyagi, Student (GSAS Political Science PhD Candidate)
Alicia Jen, Student (Mailman School PhD)
Andrew Marshall Fagerheim, Student (GSAS SEAS '24, GSAS '29)
Sara Wexler, Student (PhD 2028)
Kiyan Tavangar, Student (GSAS PhD, 2027)
anselm kizza-besigye, Student (GSAS PhD (anthropology) 2031)
Luveen Wadhwani, Student (Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Master of Arts - Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology (2027))
Abigail King, Student (CC 2026)
J. Blake Turner, Faculty (VP&S )
Aharon Dardik, Student (Columbia Unviersity GS '26)
Anonymous Alumni (Public Health MPH ‘25)
Anonymous Student (GS jts dual ba 2028)
Anonymous Student (VP&S MD 2028)
Insaf Dahha, Student (Barnard College 2028)
Anonymous Student (SIPA MPA-DP, 2027)
Anonymous Faculty (VP&S )
Ted Schmiedeler, Student (CC CC 2026)
Anonymous Faculty (Arts and Sciences )
Susan S.Witte , Faculty (School of Social Work )
Anonymous Student (GSAS )
Maurice Chakour, Student (CC BA in biochemistry 2027)
Olivia Callanan, Student ( )
Anonymous Student (Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Sciences Bachelors, 2028)
Josephine Howe, Student (Barnard College BA 2029)
Melanie Wall, Faculty (Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons (VP&S) )
Jacob Gold, Student (CC ‘27)
Anonymous Faculty (MSPH MIA/MPH/PHD 2008 2015)
Maria Guarino, Student (Teachers College )
Anonymous Staff (Gsas PhD 2001)
Sara Carson, Student (CC 2027)
Amy Chazkel, Faculty (Arts and Sciences )
Lucas Keeley, Student ( )
Morgan Johns, Student (School of General Studies GS ‘26)
Anonymous Student (Barnard College 2029)
Josh Cohen, Student (Columbia College BA, 2028)
Raymond Canning , Student (CC Neuroscience and Behavior '28)
Anonymous Student (College )
Anonymous Student (Columbia College B.A. 2028)
Suzanne Bigelow , Student (CC )
Beau Gantz, Student (CC )
Mary Alice Fitzpatrick Jouve, Student (Columbia University GSAS History)
Stella Manyan, Student (Columbia College Astrophysics, 2027)
Anonymous Student (Current student at Barnard Barnard class of 2026)
Zaakirah Rahman, Alumni ( )
Anonymous Student (VP&S VP&S 2028)
Olivia Levitt, Student ( )
Anonymous Student (SEAS PhD 2029)
Michael Harris, Faculty (Graduate School of Arts and Sciences )
Noel Siegert, Student (GSAS PhD 2028)
Anonymous Student (Barnard Bachelor of Arts, 2026)
Anonymous Student (Barnard College Undergraduate 2027)
Anonymous Student ( )
Priya Haran, Student (Columbia Engineering BS 2028)
Ava Lyon-Sereno, Student (Barnard College Bachelors, Class of 26)
Anonymous Student (Barnard Undergraduate 2026)
Anonymous Student (Barnard College 2029)
Anonymous Student (Barnard Undergrad 2028)
Eric Feng, Student (Columbia College )
Anonymous Student (CC 2028)
Stephanie McManus, Student (Columbia College B.A. Political Science, May 2028)
Anonymous Student (GSAS Music PhD)
Nina Quayle, Student (Columbia College BA)
Anonymous Student (BC/SIPA 4+1 Program, '27)
Helen Han Wei Luo, Student (GSAS PhD, 2028)
Anonymous Student (Columbia Mailman )
Anonymous Student (Barnard College Cognitive Science, 2027)
Anonymous Student (General Studies BA 2026)
Heidi Hansen, Student (GSAS PhD, 2029)
Anonymous Student (SEAS MS Computer Science 2026)
Anonymous Student (CC History 27)
George Murphy, Student (Columbia College BA in Classics, 2027)
Anonymous Student (SEAS 2028)
Anonymous Student
Alice Foster, Student
Anonymous Student
Anonymous Student (SPS Masters 2026)
Anonymous Student
Tonydin Ramos, Student (School of General Studies BA Psychology, 2027)
Anonymous Student (SEAS Applied Physics, 2029)
Anonymous Student (Barnard )
Anonymous Student (general studies Religion, 2028)
Anonymous Student (SPS SUMA, 2029)
Anonymous Student
Adrian Puga, Student (General Studies Climate System Science '26)
Anonymous Student (GS Financial Economics 28)
Anonymous Student
Anonymous Student
MJ Markovitz, Student (School of General Studies BA, 2027)
Sebastian Javadpoor, Student (Columbia College, GSAS, Columbia Law CC ‘25; GSAS ‘26; CU Law ‘29)
Gabriel Revon, Student (SPS Bioethics, 2026)
Anonymous Student (Mailman School of Public Health MPH 2026)
Indigo Guikema, Student (Columbia College )
Jason Leung, Student (GSAS )
Joshua Thorne, Student (Columbia College BA, 2028)
Anonymous Student (SEAS Bachelors, 2028)
Anonymous Student (CC)
Devan Aguirre, Student (CC Philosophy 27)
Anonymous Student (Law JD ‘26)
Anonymous Student (SEAS 2029)
Anonymous Student (CC 2029)
Anonymous Staff (School of Social Work Master of Social Work Candidate, 2026)
Anonymous Student (Professional Studies Bioethics 2026)
Anonymous Student (Barnard College 2026)
Kara Philip, Student (Barnard College 2026)
June Frankel, Student
Maya Lerman, Staff (Columbia College Undergrad, 2027)
Trey Norman, Student
Anonymous Student (GS 2026)
Kai Eskel-Greenhalge, Student (Mailman School of Public Health MPH 2027)
Anonymous Student (Columbia Journalism School MA, 2026)
Anonymous Student (GS)
Anonymous Student
Anonymous Student (Columbia College 2029)
Eirik Peterson, Student (Columbia College Econ-poli sci, 2026)
Anonymous Student (Grad Student Mailman MS Epid 2026)
Anonymous Student (Columbia College Political Science, CC ‘27)
Anonymous Student (Barnard College 2026)
Anonymous Student (Barnard College)
Anabaah Nelson, Student (CC)
Anonymous Student
Andrew Hallward-Driemeier, Student (GSAS PhD in Earth and Environmental Sciences, 2028)
Anonymous Student (Seas Biomedical Engineering 2027)
Anonymous Student (Columbia University MSDS 2027)
Dorothy Vassantachart, Alumni (Columbia College Undergraduate BS 2020)
Travis Vidic, Student (Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Master's in African American and African Diaspora Studies)
Andrew Chung, Student (CC 2027)
Anonymous Student (General Studies Bachelors in biology, 2026!)
Anonymous Student (GSAS Earth and Environmental Sciences PhD 2029)
Abigayle Stoetzer, Student (Teachers College, Columbia University Social Organizational Psychology 2027)
Destiny Smalls, Student (SEAS)
Eleanor Humphreys , Student (Graduate student at Mailman School of Public Health MPH Sociomedical Sciences ‘27)
Hans Lee, Student (Law School Law, 2026)
Anonymous Student (Barnard)
William Speigner, Student (Columbia Law School JD 2028)
Maddox Mayo, Student (Columbia College History 2027)
Sophia Mariano, Student (Barnard B.A in English & Italian, class of 2027)
Ainsley Leof, Student (CC Undergrad 2026)
Kirsten Trevino, Student (Barnard Sociology 2026)
Anonymous Student (SEAS MS)
Galen Hawkins, Alumni (Columbia College Undergraduate Biology, 2020)
Anonymous Student
Anonymous Student (GS Economics 2028)
Anonymous Student (CC BA 2029)
Anonymous Student (Columbia journalism school MS ‘26)
Anonymous Student (CJS MS ‘26)
Anonymous Student (journalism MS '26)
Anonymous Student (CJS MS ‘26)
Alexandra Marks, Student (GS)
Anonymous Student (VP&S MD Candidate 2026)
Daphne Kaxiras, Student (VP&S MD-PhD 2032)
Joshua Kalish, Student (GS)
Frederick Sheehan, Student (GSAS/SEAS PhD 2028)
Anonymous Student
Anonymous Student (School of Journalism M.S., 2026)
Anonymous Alumni (Barnard Colelge BA in Yiddish Studies, Psychology, 2022)
Sumaiyah Rahman, Student (Columbia College B.A. 2026)
Anonymous Student (Teachers College Clinical Psychology Masters 2027)
Elijah Hill, Student (Columbia College Climate & Sustainability 2026)
Anonymous Alumni (Business School MBA, 2024)
Robert Mulvey , Student (General Studies and GSAS BA '26, PhD '32)
Anonymous Student (Columbia College)
Anonymous Student (Barnard Bachelors, 2028)
Anonymous Student (Barnard College)
Alpha Saliou Bah, Alumni (General Studies Computer Science 2024)
Anonymous Student (Teachers College MA Teaching of Social Studies)
William Wilcox, Student (GSAS GSAS)
Anonymous Student (GSAS)
Cella Masso-Rivetti, Student (GSAS Religion PhD 2028)
Anonymous Student
Valentina Allegra, Student (Columbia College BA 2027)
Susan Bernofsky, Faculty (SOA)
Anonymous Student (SEAS BME Ph.D., 2029)
Anonymous Student (SEAS PhD Applied Physics, 2031)
Michael Matthew Gonzalez, Student (Columbia College Bachelor of Arts, 2026)
Michael King, Student (GS Bachelor's, psychology, 2028)
Ana Singh, Student (Mailman School of Public Health MPH, Epidemiology 2026)
Anonymous Student (Barnard South Asian Studies 2028)
Anonymous Student (Barnard Psychology 2029)
Randall Erwin, Student (Mailman School of Public Health MPH 2027)
Abdalla Hassan, Staff (Office of Administration | Alumni of Columbia Journalism School )
Anonymous Student
Anonymous Student (Barnard College Asian & Middle Eastern Cultures — Human Rights)
Insaf Ali, Alumni (GSAS MESAAS, 2012)
Ahmed Gad, Student (CBS EMBA 2027)
Anonymous Student (Columbia Business School MBA 2027)
Anonymous Student (MBA, 2026)
Anonymous Student (VPS MD, 2028)
Anonymous Alumni (Columbia College BA 2010)
Craig Birckhead-Morton, Student (GSAS MA 2026)
Anonymous Student (Barnard Religion, 2026)
Anonymous Student (VP&S MD 2029)
Anonymous Student (Columbia College 2029)
Jonah Boyarin, Student (GSAS Religion, 2030)
Alya Ahmad, Student
Anonymous Student (Columbia College 2029)
Edward Barry, Student (GSAS Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology PhD 2028)
Anonymous Student (GSAS M.A in American Studies, 2026)
Siddhartha Modur, Student (SEAS MS 2025)
Laura Caron, Student (GSAS PhD 2026)
Anonymous Student (Columbia School of Social Work ACP 2026)
Anonymous Student (Barnard)
Anonymous Student (Barnard College B. A., 2028)
Joaquin Recinos, Student (Columbia College B.A. in Political Science and Philosophy, 2028)
Aelia Thakkar, Student (Barnard College Bachelor's, 2027)
Anonymous Student (Barnard College Degree Candidate and Class of 2026)
Anonymous Student (Barnard College 2027)
Anonymous Student (Barnard religion, 2027)
Maggie Aufmuth, Student (CC American Studies 2027)
Charlotte Chen, Student (Columbia SEAS undergrad Comp Eng 2026)
Anonymous Student
Anonymous Student (Barnard College B.A. 2028)
Sapphire Wang, Student (Columbia College CC 2028)
Anonymous Staff
Michael Thaddeus, Faculty (Department of Mathematics )
Anonymous Student (Columbia College BA 2026)
Anonymous Student (GSAS PhD, 2026)
Anonymous Student (Columbia College BA 2029)
Yannik Thiem, Faculty (Arts & Sciences)
Anonymous Student (SEAS MS BME '26)
Anonymous Staff (Mailman)
Turner Watkins, Student (SPS M.S. 2026)
Anonymous Student (General Studies Full degree sciences Po, 2027)
Anonymous Alumni (General Studies Postbac certificate 2021)
Claire Sattler, Current Student (2025- Present), Former Staff (2023-2025) (GSAS Biological Sciences PhD (est. grad 2031))
Anonymous Student (Doctorate of Physical Therapy 2027)
Anonymous Student (SEAS PhD '29)
Jamal Baig, Student (Columbia College BA , 2026)
Madeleine Gordon, Student (SEAS MS Biomedical Engineering '26; PhD Biomedical Engineering '29)
Emily Leggat, Student (GSAS Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology PhD 2028)
Sherif Ibrahim, Student (SOA Film MFA 26')
Anonymous Student (College of Dental Medicine DDS 2027)
Paul Spohr, Alumni (GSAS Department of Philosophy, Ph.D., 2006)
Anonymous Faculty (Social Work Barnard 1994)
Elwin Wu, Faculty (School of Social Work)
Riana Elyse Anderson, Faculty (CSSW)
Nasser Odetallah, Student (General Studies and School of the Arts BA '25; MFA '29)
Anonymous Faculty (Social Work MSW '93)
We have gathered a set of impact statements submitted anonymously. While these statements are not formally endorsed or attributed to the individuals who signed the letter above, they reflect the perspectives of various students, faculty, staff, administrators, and alumni. Anonymity has been preserved to respect and safeguard the privacy of those who contributed.
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“Richard Axel's ties to Jeffrey Epstein must be investigated, and his title of University Professor (the highest academic rank Columbia has to offer) must be removed. It is reprehensible that he continued to associate with Jeffrey Epstein after his trafficking conviction. A paltry apology, and stepping down from an administrative role leading the Zuckerman Institute, is not enough. The fact that the University has not committed to a single independent investigation into Epstein's ties to leaders at Columbia University is such a shame.”
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“I am a healthcare professional at NYP/CUIMC and am absolutely devastated by the ties leadership at the medical and dental school maintained with Jeffrey Epstein. Every day we take care of patients at their most vulnerable. People place their trust in us to provide care. It is no wonder Hadden was enabled to commit his crimes. This makes me wonder whether the two of them are connected in some way and if the cover-ups are related to one another.”
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“To the Columbia University Senate Student Affairs Committee,
I write this letter as a graduating student who once took immense pride in being affiliated with Columbia University. Today, however, that pride is overshadowed by concern, disappointment, and a growing fear about the professional consequences that current students and soon-to-be alumni may face because of the university’s repeated association with highly publicized institutional failures.
Most recently, the case involving former Columbia OB-GYN Robert Hadden—whose decades of sexual abuse were allowed to persist while affiliated with Columbia University—has once again brought national scrutiny and outrage toward the institution. For many of us who are preparing to enter the workforce, particularly in healthcare, clinical research, and pharmaceutical industries where institutional ethics and credibility matter deeply, these controversies create real concern about reputational spillover.
Employers, colleagues, and professional networks inevitably form impressions based on institutional affiliations. While students bear no responsibility for the actions or protections afforded to individuals such as Dr. Hadden, the public narrative surrounding Columbia increasingly risks conflating the institution’s failures with those who studied here. As a graduating student seeking opportunities within healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors, I worry that these controversies may negatively affect how our credentials and affiliations are perceived in professional settings.
Beyond reputational concerns, there is also the financial reality faced by many students who have sacrificed tremendously to attend this university. I speak personally as a graduate student who has worked hard to sustain significant financial responsibilities while continuing to invest in a Columbia education because I believed in the institution’s integrity and values. The expectation that students should continue to shoulder substantial financial burdens while the university confronts repeated institutional failures feels deeply unfair.
For this reason, I respectfully ask the Student Senate Committee to formally consider initiating a discussion or motion addressing the following:
1. A tuition reimbursement or restitution program for students whose education and professional reputation may be negatively impacted by institutional failures and controversies associated with the university.
2. A formal acknowledgement and student-centered response recognizing that these events do not occur in isolation but have potential downstream consequences for current students and graduates entering competitive professional fields.
3. Career and reputational support initiatives designed to help students navigate professional environments where Columbia’s institutional controversies may become part of the conversation.
4. A public commitment from university leadership that demonstrates meaningful accountability and safeguards against institutional protection of individuals who harm patients, students, or the public.
I do not raise these concerns lightly. It is profoundly disappointing to graduate from a university that was once universally revered yet now finds itself repeatedly on the wrong side of issues involving accountability and protection of vulnerable individuals. Students came to Columbia believing in its mission, values, and moral leadership. Many of us stretched ourselves financially, professionally, and personally to become part of this community.
At minimum, we deserve an honest discussion about how institutional failures affect the futures of the students who have invested so much into this university.
My intention in writing is not simply to criticize, but to advocate for students who may feel powerless in the face of decisions and histories that were never theirs to control. I ask the Student Senate to take this concern seriously and to initiate dialogue about meaningful remedies and protections for students whose professional futures may be indirectly shaped by these institutional controversies.
Thank you for your time and consideration. I hope this letter can serve as a starting point for a broader conversation about accountability, restitution, and the responsibility universities owe to the students who trusted them.
A Concerned Graduating Student”
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