Republicans press leaders of Georgetown, Berkeley and CUNY on antisemitism complaints

By ANNIE MA Associated Press WASHINGTON AP House Republicans on Tuesday grilled the leaders of Georgetown University the City University of New York and the University of California Berkeley in the latest hearing on antisemitism in higher coaching accusing the schools of failing to respond adequately to statements of bias or discrimination In their appearance before the House Committee on Coaching and the Workforce the three university leaders reported that they had taken disciplinary action where appropriate and stressed the importance of protecting free speech UC Berkeley Chancellor Rich Lyons pushed back on the suggestion that antisemitism was more present on college campuses than anywhere else If somebody is expressing pro-Palestinian beliefs that s not necessarily antisemitic he noted Dr Rich Lyons Chancellor University of California Berkeley testifies during a House Committee on Coaching and Workforce Committee hearing on Antisemitism in Higher Instruction Examining the Role of Faculty Funding and Ideology on Capitol Hill Tuesday July in Washington AP Photo Rod Lamkey Jr The hearing was the ninth in a series Republicans have held to scrutinize university leadership over accusations of antisemitism on campuses after a wave of protests following Hamas Oct attacks on Israel Widely criticized testimony before the committee by the presidents of the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard University in contributed to their resignations At Tuesday s hearing Democrats blasted Republican committee members for their focus on antisemitism while not speaking out on the dismantling of the Guidance Department which is tasked with inspecting antisemitism and other civil rights violations in schools They have turned this hearing room into a kangaroo court where they spend our time litigating a predetermined outcome to do nothing definitely to help Jewish students just make masses theater out of legitimate pain Rep Mark Takano D-CA Dr F lix Matos Rodr guez Chancellor The City University of New York testifies during a House Committee on Tuition and Workforce Committee hearing on Antisemitism in Higher Schooling Examining the Role of Faculty Funding and Ideology on Capitol Hill Tuesday July in Washington AP Photo Rod Lamkey Jr Republicans commented the university leaders have allowed campus antisemitism to run unchecked Universities can choose to hire antisemitic faculty welcome students with a history of antisemitism accept certain foreign funding and let the behavior of antisemitic unions go unchecked Michigan Rep Tim Walberg committee chair disclosed in his opening statements But we will see in contemporary times they do so at their own hazard The hearing was periodically interrupted by protesters who shouted pro-Palestinian slogans before being removed by Capitol police Rep Randy Fine R-FL berated the college presidents and noted they were responsible because of the attitudes they had permitted on their campuses Related Articles Federal agency shifts stance on transgender discrimination complaints but hurdles remain Trump reshaped the Supreme Court Now crisis appeals are helping him reshape the governing body Trump tells Texas Republicans to redraw the state congressional map to help keep House majority Trump administration fires immigration court judges across ten states union says University of Michigan faces federal review after arrest of Chinese scientists Republicans pressed the three college leaders on whether they had disciplined or fired faculty and employees for behavior they announced was antisemitic Rep Elise Stefanik R-N Y pressed CUNY Chancellor F lix Matos Rodr guez on the employment of a law professor who worked on the legal defense of Mahmoud Khalil a Palestinian activist the Trump administration attempted to deport over his role in protests at Columbia University Stefanik pushed Matos Rodr guez to answer whether the professor should be fired Without responding directly Matos Rodr guez defended CUNY and declared antisemitism had no place at the school He mentioned any learner or employee who broke CUNY rules would be investigated University leaders also emphasized the importance of free speech on campuses for students and faculty Interim Georgetown President Richard Groves mentioned that as a Jesuit university fostering interfaith dialogue and understanding was a key part of the school s mission He disclosed the university has not experienced any encampments or physical violence since the Hamas attack in October Given our Jesuit values we expose students to different viewpoints on the Middle East Groves stated In addition to speakers on Gaza we ve hosted IDF soldiers families of Israeli and Palestinians who ve lost their lives U S families of U S hostages in Gaza Georgetown is not perfect and as events evolve we ve had to clarify rules of participant behavior The Associated Press teaching coverage receives financial endorsement from multiple private foundations AP is solely responsible for all 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