The recent ban on masks at Columbia University will make campus a much more dangerous place.

Over the past year, we've witnessed campus become a symbol of political advocacy internationally. The public eye is constantly focused on campus. Walking to class or going to the subway, students are constantly being recorded and criticized by major news outlets, online trolls, legal advocacy groups, politicians, police, campus disciplinary officials, and now ICE. So it comes as no surprise that many of our peers have suffered irreperable professional damage for merely attending even such uncontroversial events as candlelight vigils. The threats of doxxing, retaliation and intimidation, both by university actors and random strangers, are very real. (https://www.columbiaspectator.com/news/2025/03/05/in-leaked-messages-members-of-columbia-alumni-for-israel-group-chat-work-to-identify-punish-pro-palestinian-protesters/

As a prestigious university, Columbia maintains a mission statement that boasts support for free speech. Yet, this mask ban directly contradicts their supposed commitment. If our university truly values the freedom of speech, this extends to actions that protect us from harmful actors both within the community and beyond campus gates.

Moreover, we are in a public health emergency. While exceptions to the mask ban are written in religious and medical reasons, Columbia's record for accurate enforcement of rules is far from perfect, meaning this is already leading to fear of confrontation or punishment for those who wear face coverings for religious or medical reasons. Discouraging people from protecting their health, given the context of the recent pandemic and rising threats from the bird flu, is an irresponsible choice. The undue burden this places on those who wear face coverings for religious reasons is prejudiced and unjustifiable.

We insist that Columbia University alter its stance. It's pivotal to allow students to safeguard their identities from the public eye, especially given the current political climate of McCarthy-esque witch hunts for political undesirables and unlawful deportations and detentions of Columbia students and affiliates. Regardless of our views, everyone has the right to protect themselves digitally and physically. 

This petition is a call to end the double standard Columbia University is upholding. Please sign this petition thereby helping us ask the university to rescind its mask ban policy, a critical step towards truly supporting free speech and the safety of our community.

Mask ban mentioned under the third bullet point of "Effective Identification Processes": https://president.columbia.edu/content/fulfilling-our-commitments