University Leaders Grilled by Congress Over Persistent Campus Antisemitism

Leaders from several prominent universities, including Georgetown University, faced rigorous questioning from a U.S. House panel on Tuesday regarding their handling of persistent antisemitism on college campuses. The hearing, convened by the House Committee on Education and Workforce, aimed to scrutinize institutional responses to rising antisemitic incidents and their root causes.

Interim President Robert Groves of Georgetown University, alongside Chancellor Felix Matos Rodriguez of The City University of New York and Chancellor Rich Lyons of the University of California Berkeley, detailed steps their institutions have taken. Groves highlighted Georgetown’s swift condemnation of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack and immediate action against incidents like the 2024 mock ‘eviction notices’ targeting Jewish students. He assured the committee that faculty and staff have been disciplined, and even dismissed, for antisemitic behavior.

Republican lawmakers pressed the university heads on various controversial statements by faculty and specific antisemitic incidents reported on their campuses. The discussion also included the recent detention of a former Georgetown postdoctoral fellow, Badar Khan Suri, and prior warnings from a former Trump administration appointee regarding Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies.

Conversely, Democrats on the panel suggested that the Republican focus on antisemitism and DEI issues was politically motivated, arguing that other crucial educational concerns were being neglected. Rep. Bobby Scott pointed out a disparity in the number of hearings on antisemitism compared to other biases, and raised concerns about recent staff reductions in the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights.

阅读中文版 (Read Chinese Version)

Disclaimer: This content is aggregated from public sources online. Please verify information independently. If you believe your rights have been infringed, contact us for removal.