Cornell University Cancels Classes Over Antisemitic Threats

Facts

Cornell University has canceled its Friday classes due to a state of 'extraordinary stress' on campus, after a student was federally charged with making anti semitic threats.¹
In an email to students and staff, the University said that 'faculty and staff will be excused from work, except for employees who provide essential services.'²
Friday will instead serve as a 'community day,' which authorities hope will allow everyone to take care of themselves and 'reflect on how we can nurture the kind of caring, mutually supportive community that we all value.'²
This comes after Patrick Dai, 21, was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly threatening to 'stab' or 'slit the throat' of Jewish male students and sexually abuse Jewish female students, or throw them off a cliff.³
Following Dai's arrest, Cornell Pres. Martha Pollack said there will be an ongoing police presence in the University, as Dai's 'unsubstantiated' threats 'add to the stress' in the campus community.⁴
According to the Anti-Defamation League, more than 312 antisemitic incidents have been reported since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, a 388% spike over the same period last year.⁴

Narrative A, as provided by NBC. While Dai's threats have turned out to be unsubstantiated, the University is within its rights to protect students' emotional well-being from anyone who spreads anti semitic threats of violence to harm, kill, or stoke fear and anxiety throughout its campus community.
Narrative B, as provided by Haaretz. Cornell should have done more to protect its Jewish students, who comprise at least 22% of the student body. Ignoring that anti zionism is inherently linked to anti semitism is a naive and irresponsible oversight of the university's administrators. If a different minority were threatened with the same type of bigotry and discrimination, Cornell would likely have responded more seriously.