Mayor Rejects Suggestion That State Will Punish Columbia
Clashing with the Assembly speaker, Mayor Bloomberg yesterday rejected suggestions from the Albany leader and other lawmakers that the state should consider punishing Columbia University for having the Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, speak on campus.
"I think Columbia's budget should be, or whatever help the state gives them, should be based on the quality of the institution and the need for that institution to grow, thrive and be here and to advance science and the arts," Mr. Bloomberg told reporters.
"To go in the other direction, to make this a cheap political pandering shot is just an outrage. I couldn't disagree with them more," he said.
Mr. Bloomberg was responding to Sheldon Silver's comments to The New York Sun on Sunday that the Assembly would consider withholding public funds from the university to protest its refusal to cancel Mr. Ahmadinejad's appearance at its World Leaders Forum. "Obviously, there's some degree of capital support that has been provided to Columbia in the past. These are things people might take a different view of … knowing that this is that kind of an institution," Mr. Silver told the Sun.
Columbia receives millions of dollars in capital funds and student aid from Albany and uses the state Dormitory Authority to borrow money at low interest rates. Columbia also needs city approval to go ahead with its planned expansion into West Harlem.
Columbia's president, Lee Bollinger, resisted pressure to rescind his school's invitation to Mr. Ahmadinejad by arguing that the university should not shy away from challenging "odious" ideas. Yesterday, as the Iranian leader sitting on stage looked on in apparent surprise, Mr. Bollinger disparaged him as a "petty and cruel dictator" who was "ignorant" of history.
A spokesman for Mr. Silver declined to comment on the mayor's remarks.
The chairman of the New York City Council's Finance Committee, David Weprin, who over the weekend warned of "consequences" for Mr. Bollinger, appeared to back away from his threat. "When it comes to punishment, it is up to the board of trustees at Columbia," a spokesman for Mr. Weprin said.
However, the chairwoman of the council's Land Use Committee, Melinda Katz, warned of "ramifications" for Columbia.
"I think the real story to me is the fact Columbia University needs all the allies they can get in the city," she said. "There are only so many times you can burn your bridges."
