Columbia pulls promotion for DHS career expo after faculty claims university is aiding 'authoritarianism'

Columbia University pulled promotion for a Department of Homeland Security–affiliated virtual career expo after faculty members objected that advertising the event amounted to endorsing “authoritarianism.”

The event, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Virtual Career Expo scheduled for Feb. 18, invites prospective applicants to chat online with recruiters about careers in federal law enforcement. According to the New York Post, the event advertised that multiple Department of Homeland Security agencies would be present.

The Post cited a statement from an unnamed faculty coalition that argued promoting the event “undermines campus trust, makes parts of our community feel targeted or unsafe, and further damages Columbia’s public standing by reinforcing the view that we are complicit in the turn towards authoritarianism.” 

“Silence will be read as consent,” the coalition said.

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In response to the criticism, Columbia University officials said the listing was not an endorsement of the event, which appeared on its School of Professional Studies’ (SPS) Career Design Lab website through 12twenty, an external online recruitment platform that provides students and alumni access to job postings and hiring events from a broad network of employers.

“SPS and the University do not control or select the employers available on the 12twenty network. Job opportunities or career expo events made available on the platform should not be construed as a sponsorship or endorsement by SPS or the University. These events take place virtually and no students are required to participate,” the university said.

It noted that the 12twenty platform includes various employers, including other federal agencies like the CDC, EPA, FBI, FDA, FEMA and IRS.

In an updated statement issued Feb. 11, Columbia said the Career Design Lab website will now highlight only events organized by SPS, but students and alumni can continue to access the broader range of external opportunities through the 12twenty platform.

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 New York City–based news outlet amNY spoke with retired schoolteacher Rich Candia, who defended the career expo and argued that students should have access to information about federal law enforcement and career opportunities.

“This is quite hypocritical because the schools promote ‘choice’ but they are denying choice when they hinder the posting of such employment,” Candia told the outlet. “There’s going to be opposition to many issues, but by not promoting the federal government’s event, they are denying the sector of students who may have a profound interest in this particular livelihood.”