The House Education and Workforce Committee has announced that it will hold a hearing on May 23 to address the issue of antisemitism on college campuses. The committee will focus on “Stopping Antisemitic College Chaos” and will hear testimony from Northwestern University President Michael Schill, Rutgers University President Jonathan Holloway, and University of California, Los Angeles Chancellor Gene Block. The chair of the committee, Virginia Foxx, has expressed concerns about actions on campuses that have enabled anti-Israel demonstrators.
These concerns have been exacerbated by recent events at Northwestern and Rutgers universities. Northwestern recently made concessions to anti-Israel protestors, including offering full-ride scholarships to five Palestinian students per year and faculty posts for Palestinian academics. This move has been met with criticism, including a lawsuit filed by three Northwestern students alleging that the school has failed to protect Jewish students. At Rutgers, an orthodox Jewish professor announced she was leaving, citing rampant antisemitism on campus.
California Highway Patrol officers raided an anti-Israel tent encampment at UCLA, resulting in the arrest of at least 132 protestors. A poll last week showed that 76% of Americans support law enforcement cracking down on the encampments, with nearly half in favor of banning campus “pro-Palestinian demonstrations” entirely. The endorsement of the protests by Hamas, despite their violent invasion of Israel, has added to the concerns about the nature of these demonstrations.
The House Education Committee has taken action to address antisemitism in higher education, questioning Columbia University President Minouche Shafik about antisemitic slogans used by protestors. This has led to a House-wide crackdown on antisemitism, spearheaded by Speaker Mike Johnson. Johnson has emphasized the need for accountability from all involved in perpetuating antisemitism on college campuses, including professors and students.
The testimony in the House Education Committee hearing has highlighted the need for action to address antisemitism at institutions of higher education. The chair of the committee, Virginia Foxx, has criticized university presidents for making concessions to anti-Israel demonstrators and has threatened to require additional witnesses to appear before the committee for transcribed interviews or risk deposition and subpoena. This increased scrutiny on how universities address antisemitism is part of a broader effort to ensure the safety and well-being of Jewish students on college campuses.
