During a congressional hearing on campus antisemitism on Wednesday, Republican members scolded Haverford College’s president, with some arguing that the institution should lose federal money for her unwillingness to address student discipline following pro-Palestinian demonstrations.
Wendy Raymond was singled out as the only college president to not specify sanctions for teachers and students accused of anti-Jewish bigotry, while appearing on Capitol Hill with two other presidents.
In response to numerous questions, Raymond stated that her organization does not make the results of disciplinary actions public.
“I suppose it’s your First Amendment right to be evasive, but it’s also our right to decide that such institutions are not deserving of taxpayer money,” Republican Rep. Bob Onder of Missouri stated.
Robert Manuel of DePaul University and Jeffrey Armstrong of California Polytechnic State University also spoke before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
Following Hamas’ attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, and a wave of protests that swept the country’s campuses, the hearing was the most recent in a series of hearings examining university presidents’ answers to accusations of anti-Jewish bias.
This one purposefully concentrated on lesser-known universities, in contrast to others that included executives from Harvard, Columbia, and other prestigious universities, whose blunders ultimately led to their resignations. Republicans aimed to highlight the prevalence of antisemitism on American schools by looking beyond the Ivy League.
The organizers of the committee wanted to select a variety of universities. Quakers created Haverford, a tiny liberal arts institution south of Philadelphia. Chicago is home to the urban campus of the Catholic university DePaul. In San Luis Obispo, there are 22,000 students enrolled at Cal Poly.
Republicans interrogated the presidents for almost three hours about allegations of anti-Semitic abuse on their campuses, which included everything from social media remarks to the assault of two Jewish students at DePaul. The session was criticized by Democrats as political theater that does little to combat discrimination.
The three presidents largely adopted a submissive stance, pointing to efforts to make students feel safer while admitting some errors.
Armstrong stated that “we have to do better” in holding individuals accountable for discrimination, while Raymond and Manuel expressed regret for their failures.
Raymond, however, declined when the presidents of DePaul and Cal Poly discussed disciplinary measures against antisemitism.
When asked, she responded, “We do not talk about those numbers publicly.” Although she agreed that some action had been taken, she chose not to elaborate.
Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., who is renowned for arranging acrimonious discussions with previous presidents of Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania that led to their resignations last year, delivered a scathing condemnation.
“Respectfully, president of Haverford, many people have sat in this position who are no longer in their positions as presidents of universities for their failure to answer straightforward questions,” Stefanik stated.
A professor’s social media post characterizing the Hamas attacks as “imprisoned people breaking free from their chains” prompted Stefanik to investigate Raymond. Raymond referred to it as disgusting, but he would not address specific instances.
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The way DePaul’s president handled a pro-Palestinian camp drew criticism. The Chicago university claims that during the 17 days that protesters occupied a campus quad, $180,000 worth of property was damaged. After clearing the camp, police reported finding weapons such as a pellet gun and knives.
“My question is, if there is another encampment, are you taking it down that next day?” Rep. Mary Miller, R-Ill., was asked.
“Yes,” replied Manuel.
Other Republicans supported cutting funds for schools that don’t reveal sanctions, arguing that Congress had to look into the matter. According to Pennsylvania Representative Ryan Mackenzie, it ought to serve as a starting point for obtaining money.
Since the start of the hearings in late 2023, Republicans have regularly summoned officials in education to testify on Capitol Hill. Chiefs from Northwestern University, Harvard, Columbia, Penn, and the University of California, Los Angeles are among those summoned.
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Separately, the Trump administration has blocked billions of dollars in funds to universities that were the focus of a government task force on antisemitism. Columbia, Penn, and Harvard are among those targeted; Harvard is attempting to recover $2.2 billion in funding.
Last Monday, the Education Department took a more aggressive stance, declaring that Harvard is no longer eligible for new funds.
