Members of Congress are gearing up to question administrators from Northwestern, UCLA, and Rutgers about their handling of campus antisemitism that has been sweeping colleges across the country. Representatives are set to hold a hearing titled “Calling for Accountability: Stopping Antisemitic College Chaos,” with the goal of holding campus leaders accountable for allowing antisemitism to fester on their campuses. The House Committee on Education and the Workforce will hear testimony from the presidents of these universities, including Northwestern President Michael Schill, UCLA Chancellor Gene Block, and Rutgers President Jonathan Holloway.
Each of these universities has faced anti-Israel protests in recent months, with UCLA even experiencing over 200 arrests during a demonstration on campus. Rutgers and Northwestern have also been criticized for negotiating with protesters and allowing encampments on campus that supported Palestinians and called for divestment from Israel. These actions have sparked widespread backlash from the Jewish community, with students and leaders calling for the resignation of these university administrators.
The protests have been linked to far-left organizations and have received funding from liberal donors like George Soros. Groups like the National Students for Justice in Palestine (NSJP) have been involved in organizing protests on various college campuses, including Columbia University, Harvard, Penn, Yale, and USC. The demonstrations have been described as intimidating and threatening to Jewish students, and have raised concerns about campus safety and policies regarding protests.
Critics have accused Rutgers, UCLA, and Northwestern of mishandling the protests on their campuses and capitulating to students who disrupted exams and harassed Jewish students. The Jewish community has spoken out against these universities for failing to uphold codes of conduct and provide a safe environment for all students. Calls for resignations and accountability have been made, with students and leaders demanding that university administrators take action to address antisemitism on their campuses.
Northwestern President Michael Schill is facing intense scrutiny for his handling of the situation on his campus, with calls for his resignation coming from students who have experienced harassment and intimidation. Protesters outside a law firm in Washington, D.C. demanded Schill’s firing, citing his actions in negotiating with protesters and failing to hold them accountable for their behavior. The hearing before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce is expected to address these concerns, along with issues related to foreign funding from countries like Qatar, which has been linked to Hamas.
This hearing marks the third time the Committee on Education and the Workforce has grilled college presidents over campus antisemitism, with previous instances resulting in resignations from Harvard and Penn presidents amid backlash for their responses to questions from lawmakers. Jewish leaders and supporters of the anti-Israel protests have called for UCLA Chancellor Gene Block’s resignation over his handling of the situation on his campus. The hearings aim to address concerns about antisemitism on college campuses and hold university administrators accountable for ensuring a safe and inclusive environment for all students.
