Cornell University – Dina Ginzburg

Summary

On March 10, 2025, Cornell University held the “Pathways to Peace” panel, a discussion focused on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and potential approaches to peace. The panel featured former Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, former Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Daniel Shapiro, and former U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker, who served as U.S. ambassador to Lebanon, Kuwait, Syria, Pakistan, Iraq, and Afghanistan. During the event, Dina Ginzburg, a second-year graduate student in Cornell’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations, interrupted the discussion by shouting a phrase in Hebrew directed at Livni. Ginzburg later stated that she shouted “chillul hashem,” which translates to “a desecration of God’s name.” Police body camera footage later reviewed during her disciplinary case showed that the interruption lasted approximately six seconds.

Following the interruption, Ginzburg left the event. Cornell University Police Department officers later stopped her, and she was arrested for disorderly conduct. She was one of 17 individuals arrested or detained during the protest, including nine Cornell students. On March 19, 2025, Cornell’s Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards issued Ginzburg a formal complaint alleging three violations of the Student Code of Conduct: disruption of university activities, disorderly conduct, and failure to comply with a university official’s directive. The university also issued an interim suspension restricting her access to campus while the disciplinary process continued.

The disciplinary investigation continued for nearly 11 months. During the investigation, Ginzburg challenged portions of the university’s case, including descriptions of the incident contained in police reports and the handling of evidence. A police report stated that Ginzburg’s shouting lasted approximately 20 seconds, while body camera footage showed the interruption lasted approximately six seconds. The complaint stated that Ginzburg continued yelling while leaving the event and was removed, while the footage showed that she left without police escort. Ginzburg said, “I think the entire process hasn’t been due process,” and raised concerns about the investigation and hearing procedures.

On February 6, 2026, Ginzburg appeared before a university hearing panel. On February 20, 2026, the panel found her “not responsible” for all three alleged Student Code of Conduct violations. The panel unanimously found her not responsible for disrupting university activities and failing to comply with a university directive. The disorderly conduct allegation resulted in a split vote that did not meet the required standard for responsibility. The panel concluded that although Ginzburg’s yelling was “inappropriate and rude in public forum,” it did not constitute a code violation or materially interfere with the event, which continued to completion.