[Columbia University president] Minouche Shafik: Universities must engage in serious soul searching on protests

Sorry, I know a lot of things should go in the politics megathread, but I thought this was interesting enough to warrant a seperate piece as a university leader posting a piece on the protests in a mainstream newspaper it seems to be quite a significant step. Of course if it's not appropriate I would appreciate it if the moderators could close/lock/delete it and sorry for the hassle. I also know this is a controversial topic – I don't want to create unproductive hate, please engage charitably if at all :)

This piece has a very PR-y feel (of course, given the pressure the university is under from legislators). I think the intereting parts are

For me, the lesson is clear. If colleges and universities cannot better define the boundaries between free speech and discrimination, government will move to fill that gap, and in ways that do not necessarily protect academic freedom. Just as our predecessors fought for desegregation and the admission of women, we need to create an educational environment where we fight all forms of prejudice, including against Arabs, Jews and Muslims.

Which seems to be a rebuke of US politicians for trying to intervene in higher education?

And a part which seems to be pointing out that the protests follow in a long and legitimate history

Second, what is the university’s role in the context of a major political crisis like the war in Gaza? There is a long history of political activism on campuses, which has contributed to many important examples of progress, such as opposition to the Vietnam war, the anti-apartheid struggle and the civil rights movement.