Columbia restricts access to campus following 'reports of potential disruptions

(New York Jewish Week) — Columbia University restricted access to its campus on Monday, a sign that the university is girding for a renewal of anti-Israel student protests as the fall semester is set to begin.

The university’s chief operating officer, Cas Holloway, said in a Friday statement that the campus would effectively be closed to members of the public starting on Monday. The official first day of classes is Sept. 3, though some schools’ orientation activities begin this week.

“This change is intended to keep our community safe given reports of potential disruptions,” Holloway said. “We...