A Call from the Columbia Political Review

On April 18, at the direction of Columbia University administrators, New York City police entered campus and arrested 108 student demonstrators. The Columbia Political Review Editorial Board condemns this show of force and the administration’s broader intrusion on student discourse. President Minouche Shafik’s decision to stifle student protest betrays the ethos of free speech that has defined this institution for decades.

The Columbia Political Review stands by its commitment to free student discourse, both on and off campus. To that end, we have taken several measures to protect and promote student expression against the threat of coercive interference.

First, alongside our longstanding coverage of domestic and international issues, we find that recent developments in campus politics not only warrant but demand a section devoted to its analysis. Therefore, we have introduced a new campus-specific tab which now houses 23 years of previously uncategorized campus coverage.

Second, we urge all Columbia students, university affiliates, and concerned citizens to join the conversation. As a multipartisan publication, we not only invite but encourage people of all ideological strands to submit pitches here. To the best of our ability, the editorial board will expedite the publishing process for pitches on pertinent issues.

University administrators have fractured our forum for discussion, but it is not beyond repair. History awaits our responses. History awaits your response.

This statement reflects the majority opinion of the editorial board and may not represent the wider views of the publication’s staff.