Court Throws Out Visiting Professor's Defamation and Discrimination Suit Against Columbia
A federal judge dismissed Mohamed Abdou's lawsuit alleging defamation, harassment and discrimination stemming from his termination as a visiting professor at Columbia University.
Mohamed Abdou, a North African-Egyptian scholar who taught at Columbia University during the spring 2024 term, sued the university alleging defamation, harassment and discrimination after his contract ended on May 31, 2024. In a detailed opinion, Judge Kathleen Waterman-Marshall concluded that former president Minouche Shafik's remarks that Abdou would "never work at Columbia again" were true statements of fact, not false accusations of antisemitism, and therefore not actionable.
The judge also determined that Shai Davidai's social-media attacks, while hostile, were motivated by Abdou's criticism of Israel rather than his race or religion, failing to meet the legal standard for discrimination under New York law. Abdou's claim that Columbia breached its contract by not giving a non-renewal notice was rejected because the faculty handbook explicitly states that single-term appointments require no additional notice. The court dismissed all causes of action, leaving the university's termination of Abdou standing.
Why it matters
The ruling clarifies limits on defamation claims and discrimination allegations tied to academic speech and contract terms.
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