Columbia University alumni rip up their diplomas in protest of school and leadership

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: NBC News

March 29, 2025, 7:40 PM EDT


Instead of joining in Columbia University’s annual “Alumni Day” celebrations for the School of International and Public Affairs, several alumni gathered to denounce the school by ripping up their diplomas in protest.

The protest follows the detention of Mahmoud Khalil, a graduate student at the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA), a Palestinian activist and a green card holder. Khalil was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents at his university-owned apartment on March 8.

The demonstration was organized by SIPA Alumni for Palestine and began with a group of alumni and current student speakers, a few dozen people chanting and then a collective ripping of diplomas. “It’s not easy to do this, with none of us doing this lightly. There’s no joy in this,” said Amali Tower, a 2009 SIPA graduate who spoke at the protest.

Tower said as an immigrant who experienced displacement, she had to fight hard to get her master’s in international affairs at Columbia. “I’m not a proud alumni at all, and instead I want to stand with the students, and I want to stand with Palestinians, and I want to stand with immigrants who are being rounded up and harassed, oppressed and deported as we speak,” she said.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/columbia-university-alumni-rip-diplomas-protest-school-leadership-rcna198739

[Sanity Claws]

1. I'm an alum and started calling it Vichy University.

But I didn't rip up my degrees.

[Scrivener7]

2. Me too for my grad degree. Our quisling alma mater.

I have to say, I'm not sure where my diploma is.

[Lonestarblue]

3. I wonder whether Columbia will lose more from future donations than the would have lost by defying Trump.

They could have taken the high road but chose to capitulate to tyranny. We have a country full of Neville Chamberlains—business leaders, university leaders, law firms all afraid to speak out or to demand that Musk’s ravages of the federal government to enrich himself must be stopped.

[Scrivener7]

4. They have billions in endowment money. They should have been able to forego the grant money.

[flashman13]

5. What the hell has happened to the student body of Columbia, home of The Strawberry Statement?

Apparently Columbia is now the home of a Vichy sell out. Students just don't care about injustice any longer? I'm appalled.

Is it going to take another Kent State to wake people up?

[BumRushDaShow]

6. Their school of Journalism used to be renowned

But now....

[Igel]

7. Ripping up the diplomas is a nice gesture.

But just a gesture. You can order a replacement.

Nobody's ever asked to see my physical diplomas. Not even sure where they are, haven't seen my bachelor's diploma for decades.

It's a line on my CV and if they want to check it out they make a phone call. Or, in a case or two, ask for transcripts.

Yippee. They tore up their diplomas. Yawn.

Now if they wanted to make a real protest, they should contact Columbia and ask that their degree and credits be revoked, cancelled.

That would send a message of commitment and true rage. But tearing up a symbol merely shows symbolic upset.

[Prairie Gates]

8. You can order another one from the registrar's office

It'll run you about $40 all in.