St. John’s University cancels ‘Columbus Day’

St. John’s University, the largest Catholic university in New York, has made the decision to stop referring to the holiday celebrated on Monday as “Christopher Columbus Day.” This change has sparked criticism from Italian-American civic leaders and alumni who feel that the university is disrespecting the famous Italian explorer.

Some have expressed their outrage, with Angelo Vivolo, president of the Columbus Heritage Coalition, calling it “insane” not to acknowledge Columbus. Former Brooklyn state Assemblyman Peter Abbate, also a St. John’s alum, described the decision as “outrageous” and “ludicrous.”

The university now lists the holiday on its academic calendar as a “fall mini-break – university closed. No classes.” This move aligns with the trend in New York City government to distance themselves from Columbus, replacing the holiday with “Italian Heritage Day/Indigenous Peoples’ Day.”

However, other Catholic universities like Fordham University and Iona College continue to recognize and observe Columbus Day in their calendars. St. John’s University defended their decision by stating that they have limited days available on the academic calendar and chose to mark Columbus Day with an extended Fall mini-break.

This controversy is not new for St. John’s, as they previously changed their sports team name from the Redmen to the Red Storm due to concerns about their Native American mascot being seen as offensive.

Many other Catholic universities have also moved away from celebrating Columbus Day, with some not recognizing it at all and others simply referring to it as a “fall break.”

Overall, the debate over Columbus Day continues to spark discussions and disagreements among different institutions and communities.