Columbia Students Vote on Israel Divestment

Columbia College students voted on nonbinding referendum questions about divestment from Israel and closing the Columbia Global Center Tel Aviv.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Higher Education

Columbia Students Vote on Israel Divestment

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Should universities divest from companies connected to foreign conflicts based on student votes?

Columbia College students voted October 13 through 19 on a referendum asking whether the university should divest from defense, technology and services companies tied to Israel and close its Tel Aviv global center. The results are nonbinding and do not change university policy, and they had not been released as of October 30.

Why it matters

The referendum reflects continuing student activism over Columbia's ties to Israel after earlier divestment votes and a 2024 dispute over the Tel Aviv center. Its nonbinding status means any policy change would depend on the university's own decision-making bodies.

Prior student referendums passed with between 61.03% and 76.55% support, while a 12-member voting committee rejected three divestment proposals in November 2025. The 2026 referendum results had not been published as of October 30.

The players

Columbia University

A private Ivy League research university in New York City whose board and administration set university investment and global center policies.

CU Apartheid Divest

A student advocacy group at Columbia that proposed the divestment referendum and has pushed for ties to Israel to be cut.

Trump Administration

The federal government administration that reached a $200 million settlement resolving civil rights investigations involving Columbia in July 2025.

The details

Two referendum questions asked about divesting from defense, technology and services companies and from firms that profit from or support Israel's actions toward Palestinians, and a sixth asked whether the Tel Aviv global center should be shuttered. The vote was proposed by CU Apartheid Divest and approved by the Columbia Elections Board.

October 2020: Referendum on divestment from Israel-linked companies passed with 61.03%.
July 2025: Columbia reached a Federal Resolution Agreement with the Trump Administration.
November 2025: A 12-member voting committee rejected three divestment proposals.
October 13-19, 2026: Students voted on the referendum.
October 30, 2026: Results had not been released.

Campus Trajectory

The October 2026 vote continues a series of student referendums that began with the April 2024 votes, which passed with 76.55% and 65.62% support. Columbia's repeated votes on divestment and the Tel Aviv center show a sustained pattern rather than a single campaign.

Students and faculty at Columbia could see changes to investment policy or the Tel Aviv global center if the university acts on the referendum. The nonbinding results mean any practical change depends on the university's own decision-making process.

The takeaway

Nonbinding student referendums can signal campus sentiment without directly changing university policy. Readers following Columbia's investment decisions should watch for official university announcements rather than vote tallies alone.