Shanying Liu

[Ramanathan]: The University stated that they initially restricted campus access to Columbia ID holders only in October 2023 over safety concerns ahead of planned demonstrations related to the war in Gaza. Over the following few months, campus access began to swing: Open one day, then closed the next. Following the “Gaza Solidarity Encampment” the next April, the University again closed its campus to Columbia ID holders only.

For years, young Americans have been treated as politically apathetic. Numerous studies have shown that those under 30 are the least likely age cohort to vote, less likely to report feeling politically empowered, and more likely to express dissatisfaction with their choices in candidates. In the 2024 presidential election, youth participation saw a considerable decrease compared to 2020, and the share of young nonvoters rose from roughly one quarter to nearly one third. Gen Z is not apathetic.

On July 23, Columbia reached an agreement with President Donald Trump’s administration to pay $200 million to the federal government over three years due to its alleged violation of antidiscrimination laws and failure to address antisemitism on campus.