Columbia University should stand by its own mission statement by allowing free speech and protests, as they have claimed time and time again that they value and withhold.

During his lifetime, philanthropist George Delacorte Jr. made a large slew of donations towards cultural advancements and the beautification of New York City. Many of the funded projects reside in CentralPark including the Alice in Wonderland statue, the Delacorte Clock in

the Central Park Zoo and the Delacorte Amphitheater where the free “Shakespeare in the Park” performs.

Delacorte also gave special attention to his alma mater, Columbia University.

The most discussed gift of the current day are the $89,000 iron gates he donated to the university to be placed at Broadway and 116th street, serving as an embellished entrance to College Walk, in the 1960s. A plaque accompanies the gate reading, “May All Who Enter Find

Peace And Welcome.” Today, it does not serve as a welcoming embellishment, but a barrier.

What was once treated as a public space for all known as College Walk, is now accessible only to those with IDs to the university or special pre-approved permissions.

The university closed gates to the public in October 2023 following pro-Palestinian protests held in the plaza. While they were open and shut for a time, the gates have now not been reopened since 2024.

Protests against the closure have argued that not only has this violated free speech and disrupted the lives of those living in the area, but a lawsuit against the university in 2025 claimed the closure violated the 1953 agreement made between the school and the city to form College Walk.

In a statement about the public’s access, the newly appointed university president Jennifer Mnookin said, “I believe that, together, we can develop an approach to campus access that protects our community and the continuity of our academic work while also moving us back

toward a campus that is more open and welcoming.”

Mnookin suggested a new campus access advisory committee, an access service kiosk placed outside the gate and expanded guest access given by students and faculty. 

There are no active plans to fully reopen the gates, and Mnookin claimed they will keep assessing in the coming months.