Columbia University has selected Michelle Greenberg-Kobrin to step into the newly created role of Jewish life liaison, according to JNS.
She brings extensive institutional familiarity to the position, having previously served as the dean of students at Columbia Law School and currently working as a professor at Yeshiva University’s Cardozo School of Law.
The university established this administrative position to comply with the terms of a July 2025 legal settlement reached with the Trump administration.
The Trump administration had sharply criticized Columbia’s response to antisemitism on campus, freezing $400 million in research funding as part of a broader effort targeting major universities and their diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.
As part of the settlement, Columbia agreed to pay $221 million in penalties and to reduce its financial reliance on international students, who constitute roughly 40% of its enrollment.
Reporting from the Columbia Spectator indicates that Greenberg-Kobrin's responsibilities will involve serving as a dedicated resource for Jewish students navigating campus antisemitism.
She is tasked with generating targeted recommendations to bolster the university's support systems for Jewish campus life, while simultaneously counseling upper administration on fulfilling the ongoing mandates of the federal settlement.