Washington — Three college presidents will testify in Congress on Tuesday about how they have handled antisemitic incidents on their campuses since the Oct. 7 terrorist attack by Hamas on Israel.
Harvard University’s Claudine Gay, the University of Pennsylvania’s Liz Magill and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sally Kornbluth will testify before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, as college campuses continue to be roiled by protests and tensions related to the Israel-Hamas war.
A number of reported antisemitic incidents have prompted accusations that universities are not doing enough to protect students.
The committee’s chairwoman, Rep. Virginia Foxx of North Carolina, said administrators “have largely stood by, allowing horrific rhetoric to fester and grow” amid “countless examples of antisemitic demonstrations on college campuses.”
There has also been an increase in the number of Islamophobic incidents in the country, but the hearing announcement does not mention whether there are plans to investigate Islamophobia on campuses.
After the Hamas terrorist attack, a number of student organizations at Harvard released a statement blaming Israel for the bloodshed, drawing backlash from prominent alumni and U.S. lawmakers. Harvard leaders were then criticized for being too slow to condemn the student organizations and not doing so more forcefully.
A number of antisemitic incidents have been reported at the University of Pennsylvania, including “vile” messages that were projected onto campus buildings and “disturbing” emails that threatened violence against members of the campus’ Jewish community. The FBI was alerted to the threats, according to the school’s president.
MIT has suspended a number of students from nonacademic activities after protesters refused to leave a campus building, bringing criticism that the punishment did not go far enough. Jewish students have said they feared for their safety and were physically blocked from attending classes.
The Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights is investigating Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania, among other schools, after receiving alleged complaints of antisemitism and Islamophobia.
How to watch the hearing about antisemitism on college campuses
- What: The presidents of Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology testify on antisemitic incidents on their campuses
- Date: Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023
- Time: 10:15 a.m. EST
- Online stream: Live on CBS News in the player above or on your mobile or streaming device
Note: Streaming plans are subject to change
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