Members of Congress are set to question administrators from Northwestern, UCLA, and Rutgers regarding their handling of campus antisemitism. These universities have been accused of negotiating with pro-Hamas terrorist groups, allowing antisemitism to proliferate on their campuses, and failing to protect Jewish students and faculty. The House Committee on Education and the Workforce will hold a hearing titled “Calling for Accountability: Stopping Antisemitic College Chaos” to address these issues. Lawmakers want to ensure accountability from university leadership for allowing antisemitism to thrive on campus.
The hearing will focus on the dereliction of duty to Jewish students at Northwestern, UCLA, and Rutgers, with university presidents Michael Schill, Gene Block, and Jonathan Holloway set to testify. Each of these schools has faced anti-Israel protests on campus, with UCLA seeing over 200 arrests during a recent protest and Rutgers students demanding the school cut financial ties with Israel. Northwestern was the first school to publicly announce that it struck a deal with protestors, allowing students to review school investments related to Israel and fund Palestinians-related initiatives in exchange for dismantling their encampment. The hearing will address the unrest and violence that Jewish students have faced on these campuses.
Leaders at Rutgers, UCLA, and Northwestern have faced criticism for their handling of the protests, with some calling for their resignations. Jewish students at these universities have reported feeling unsafe and harassed on campus, with protests escalating into threats against Jewish students. Rutgers student Ezra Pfeffer expressed concern about the recurring antisemitism on campus and hopes that the hearing will lead to meaningful change. Northwestern President Michael Schill is facing calls to resign due to his handling of antisemitic incidents on campus, with critics demanding accountability for the increase in anti-Jewish hate.
The hearing comes in the wake of nationwide protests at universities, including Columbia, Harvard, Penn, Yale, and USC, where student groups tied to far-left organizations, such as the National Students for Justice in Palestine (NSJP), have staged demonstrations denouncing Israel. The protests have been associated with dark money and support from liberal megadonors like George Soros. Schools like Harvard, Penn, and MIT have previously been questioned by the Committee on Education and the Workforce about their response to campus antisemitism, leading to resignations of university presidents due to their perceived failure to address the issue effectively.
Critics have accused university leaders of capitulating to anti-Israel protestors and failing to uphold their own codes of conduct. Jewish students have reported feeling intimidated and harassed on campus, with incidents of violence and threats increasing. Administrators have been urged to take a stronger stance against antisemitism and ensure the safety of all students on campus. The hearing will address concerns regarding foreign funding to universities, such as Qatar’s donations to Northwestern, and examine the universities’ responses to pro-Hamas protestors who have called for violence against Jewish students.
The Committee on Education and the Workforce has previously grilled university presidents over campus antisemitism, leading to resignations of leaders who failed to adequately address the issue. Lawmakers are determined to hold university administrators accountable for their response to antisemitic incidents on campus and ensure the safety of Jewish students and faculty. Calls for resignations and demands for accountability from Rutgers, UCLA, and Northwestern leaders have escalated, with Jewish students and community members expressing concern about the rise of antisemitism on college campuses. The hearing will shed light on the challenges faced by Jewish students and the need for universities to take decisive action against hate speech and discrimination.
