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Former law professor Katherine Franke, BC ’81, files grievance against Office of Institutional Equity
Franke submitted the grievance to the University Senate and asked the group to conduct an investigation into the OIE.
By Iman Taha / Staff PhotographerFranke also wrote that the University administration, including the OIE, had prosecuted students “when there was no evidence” that they violated University rules.By Emily Pickering • January 24, 2025 at 4:36 AM
By Emily Pickering • January 24, 2025 at 4:36 AM
Katherine Franke, BC ’81, former James L. Dohr professor of law, filed a supplementary grievance with the University Senate on Jan. 17 requesting an investigation into the Office of Institutional Equity.
The OIE, the University office that addresses discrimination reports, previously investigated Franke over allegations of discriminatory harassment shortly before she left her tenured professorship on Jan. 10.
Franke submitted her grievance to University senators Greg Freyer and Letty Moss-Salentijn, co-chairs of the faculty affairs, academic freedom, and tenure committee, which addresses faculty grievances and matters relating to academic employment.
[Read more: Law professor Katherine Franke, BC ’81, departs following investigation into alleged discriminatory harassment]
In her grievance, Franke—a former Columbia professor of 25 years—alleged that the University administration “had engaged in prohibited racial stereotyping” related to the investigation and asked the senate to “condemn” that practice.
“In my view, the policies and practices of the Office of Institutional Equity demonstrate a pattern and practice of anti-Palestinian racism toward Columbia affiliates, a form of national origin discrimination,” Franke wrote.
In her grievance supplement, Franke said that she had faced “harassment” on campus that made her fear for her safety, including verbal altercations and “threatening” correspondence. Franke also stated that she signed her retirement agreement under “the duress of a hostile work environment.”
“We depend on the work of our newly-launched Office of Institutional Equity as we build an environment of inclusivity and respect,” a University spokesperson wrote in a statement to Spectator on Wednesday. “Every member of our community deserves to feel safe and valued, and our investment in OIE represents a major step forward in providing the resources to achieve this goal.”
Jeanine D’Armiento, chair of the senate’s executive committee, declined to comment.
Franke originally submitted a grievance to the faculty affairs, academic freedom, and tenure committee in November expressing concerns over the OIE’s investigation of her. Franke has advocated for pro-Palestinian student protestors and serves on the advisory board of Palestine Legal, an organization that defends individuals who advocate for Palestinian rights.
Franke provided additional evidence to her grievance on Tuesday in a statement reviewed by Spectator. She described “unrelenting harassment” she faced when defending students and faculty investigated for “engaging in peaceful protests, teaching, and speech.”
Franke also wrote that the University administration, including the OIE, had prosecuted students “when there was no evidence” that they violated University rules.
“These offices are being weaponized to punish them on account of their views on the war on Gaza,” Franke wrote.
The OIE began investigating a discriminatory harassment claim against Franke in February 2024. In November, the OIE issued a determination letter citing claims by an outside law firm that Franke had violated Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action policies on three counts based on statements she made in a Democracy Now! interview on Jan. 25, 2024, according to Franke’s grievance.
Franke’s attorneys appealed the firm’s decision in December 2024.
Franke announced her departure from the University on Jan. 10, which she called a “termination dressed up in more palatable terms.”
A University spokesperson referred Spectator to a previous statement issued at the time of Franke’s retirement.
“Columbia is committed to being a community that is welcoming to all and our policies prohibit discrimination and harassment,” the spokesperson wrote in a statement to Spectator on Jan. 13.
Franke wrote in her grievance that, based on the investigative report prepared by the outside law firm, the investigators “conducted a biased and flawed investigation.” She wrote that the University followed a pattern of “targeting” faculty and students engaging in protected conduct, including pro-Palestinian activism, for investigation.
In a post to X, Franke uploaded a three-minute YouTube video titled “Update on the situation at Columbia University from Professor Katherine Franke.” In the video, Franke summarized her grievance submitted to the University Senate and objected to the OIE’s disciplinary practices. She cited instances of students who had protested the war in Israel and Gaza and received “outrageous” consequences.
Franke also alleged in the grievance that the discriminatory practices of the OIE do not comply with Title VI and are in violation of due process rights by not providing their respondents a written copy of the investigative report or evidence from investigations.
Staff Writer Emily Pickering can be contacted at emily.pickering@columbiaspectator.com. Follow her on X @emilypckk.
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