Federal Probe Sparks Concern Over Religious Survey at Columbia, Barnard
(MENAFN) Employees at Columbia University and Barnard College in New York City were sent messages via text that connected them to a questionnaire, which included a query about whether they were “Jewish or Israeli.”
As reported by the media, the questionnaire was sent to workers’ personal phones on Monday by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), explaining it was related to a national inquiry into workplace conditions at the two institutions.
One of the initial questions in the survey requested participants to tick boxes that applied to them, asking if they are Jewish, Israeli, have Jewish or Israeli heritage, or follow Judaism.
Debbie Becher, a sociology professor at Barnard, said she felt “shocked” upon receiving the message. “At first, I thought it was spam,” said Becher, who identifies as Jewish, in her statement to the news outlet.
“I was alarmed that the government would contact me in this way about such a serious matter,” she said.
On April 15, Columbia University notified staff via email that it had received a legal order from the EEOC “in connection with an investigation into alleged harassment of Jewish employees at the University from October 7, 2023, to the present.”
The university noted it was cooperating with federal authorities by sharing the requested contact details, including phone numbers and mailing addresses, of its personnel.
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