CIT Judge Vaden to Not Hire Columbia Law Clerks Due to University Protests, School Response
Court of International Trade Judge Stephen Vaden is among 13 federal judges who signed a May 6 letter to Columbia University President Minouche Shafik saying they won't hire any Columbia University law students as clerks, starting with the entering 2024 class, as a result of the university's response to the student protests regarding the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. Vaden is the only CIT judge to sign the letter.
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Protests on Columbia's campus emerged nearly three weeks ago, inspiring similar action at campuses nationwide, the Associated Press reported. Students established an encampment at the university, disrupting university proceedings and leading to the cancellation of the university-wide commencement ceremony.
The federal judges characterized Columbia as having become "ground zero for the explosion of student disruptions, anti-semitism, and hatred for diverse viewpoints on campuses across the Nation." The judges said they have "lost confidence in Columbia as an institution of higher education."
The letter called for consequences for those engaging in the protests, "nondiscrimination in the protection of freedom of speech and the enforcement of rules of campus conduct" and viewpoint diversity on campus and in the admissions office. Without "extraordinary change," the judges won't hire Columbia students, the letter said.