Thread by @IsraelWarRoom

The @EdWorkforceCmte hearing on antisemitic college chaos at @NorthwesternU, @RutgersU, and @UCLA is starting shortly — tune in and/or follow along with us here ⬇️

@EdWorkforceCmte @NorthwesternU @RutgersU @UCLA "October 7 ignited a powder keg of pro-terror campus fervor."
-@virginiafoxx

Rep @virginiafoxx to the President Michael Schill of @NorthwesternU, President Jonathan Holloway of @RutgersU, and Chancellor Gene Block of @UCLA:
"Each of you should be ashamed of your decisions that allowed antisemitic encampments to endanger Jewish students. Mr. Schill and Dr. Hollaway, you should be doubly ashamed for capitulating to the antisemitic rulebreakers."

@EdWorkforceCmte @NorthwesternU @RutgersU @UCLA @virginiafoxx "There is no excuse for antisemitism on campus."
Rep @BobbyScott calls for an increase in funding for @usedgov and defends the right for "peaceful protest" on campuses, including "hateful words."

Today's witnesses:
Mr. Michael Schill, President of @NorthwesternU
Dr. Jonathan Hollaway, President of @RutgersU
Frederick Lawrence, Secretary and CEO of @PhiBetaKappa Society
Dr. Gene Block, Chancellor of @UCLA

@EdWorkforceCmte @NorthwesternU @RutgersU @UCLA @virginiafoxx @BobbyScott @usedgov @PhiBetaKappa "When there is conduct that threatens the Northwestern community, we must impose discipline and we have done so...I admit our existing rules and policies are falling short."
President Schill says @NorthwesternU will spend the summer updating its student conduct code.

The pro-Hamas encampment at @NorthwesternU brought intimidation and harassment to the campus for several days, until students voluntarily took it down after negotiations with the administration. Schill says he did "not give in to any of the protesters' demands."
NU's SJP chapter tells a different story.

Unlike the previous university leaders who have testified before @EdWorkforceCmte, in his opening statement, President Schill outlined several new steps Northwestern will reportedly be taking to fight antisemitism on campus...but it's likely too little too late, as Northwestern is already facing several lawsuits over pervasive antisemitism on campus.

President Block says the Israel-Hamas war has been a tragedy for Jewish and Palestinian communities on campus and says @RutgersU has focused on "dialogue and education" rather than discipline.

Block says Rutgers engaged in negotiations with the pro-Hamas encampment "without compromising on my fundamental stance against divestment and boycotts."

And yet, Rutgers' SJP chapter came out of negotiations feeling victorious...

@EdWorkforceCmte @NorthwesternU @RutgersU @UCLA @virginiafoxx @BobbyScott @usedgov @PhiBetaKappa Dr. Holloway said that on day 3 of the encampment, when student protesters called to disrupt exams, the university moved to shut the encampment down.

But 28 exams were forcibly postponed by the student mob at @RutgersU.

https://x.com/sfmcguire79/status/1786147594768445611

@EdWorkforceCmte @NorthwesternU @RutgersU @UCLA @virginiafoxx @BobbyScott @usedgov @PhiBetaKappa Mr. Lawrence encourages dialogue and free speech and expression, while noting the limits are reached "when actual threats or undue disruption of the university operations are involved."

Chancellor Block starts off by condemning both antisemitism and Islamophobia, saying they are antithetical to UCLA's values.

He notes that balancing the university's obligation to protect free speech on campus and its obligation to protect students from discrimination and harassment is often "difficult to achieve."

He acknowledges that many Jewish students have had to confront rhetoric and images on campus that "any reasonable person would find repugnant."

Dr. Block acknowledges that UCLA viewed police action to remove the encampment as a last resort and that it took time for police to actually take action.

"With the benefit of hindsight, we should have been prepared to immediately remove the encampment if and when the safety of our community was put at risk."

He says UCLA has already created a new office of campus safety and is conducting a thorough examination of its security processes, and pledges to hold accountable everyone who was engaged in violence or violated UCLA's policies.

And yet...no students have been suspended at @UCLA. Block says there are more than 100 active investigations into incidents of antisemitism and Islamophobia at UCLA.

Similarly, no students have been suspended or expelled from @NorthwesternU, though "there have been terminations of staff."

At @RutgersU, 4 students have been suspended, and 19 others have experienced "other levels of disciplinary consequence."

In other words, very few students at these schools have actually faced discipline for antisemitic conduct.

@EdWorkforceCmte @NorthwesternU @RutgersU @UCLA @virginiafoxx @BobbyScott @usedgov @PhiBetaKappa Similarly, there have been no staff terminations since encampments were launched at Rutgers or UCLA, but there are "ongoing disciplinary proceedings."

Schill says there have been staff terminations from Northwestern, though he couldn't cite a number.

Rep @virginiafoxx asks Dr. Schill to "categorically reject any divestment or academic boycott of Israel."

Dr. Schill says he "would never recommend to the Board of Trustees divestment of anything or any academic boycott of Israel."

Rep Foxx asks if that's the case, why would Schill create a committee that would consider divestment?

Schill claims that the advisory committee in question has existed for years.

Rep @virginiafoxx cites reports from UCLA that students were denied access to parts of campus and were questioned at "checkpoints" whether they were "Zionists." Why were those checkpoints not immediately cleared?

Block claims he issued instructions to staff to make sure no parts of campus were blocked from access, and claims the "checkpoints" then stopped.

@DonaldNorcross: What are the red lines when it comes to campus protests, when were they crossed, and how did Rutgers react?

Holloway: There was ongoing communication between encampment members and student affairs officials and Rutgers PD; Rutgers allowed the encampment was as a form of free speech, but said it could not disrupt university processes.

And yet, the Rutgers encampment forced the postponement of 28 exams and created significant disruption on campus.

@RepWalberg calls out the fact that @NorthwesternU's antisemitism committee disbanded after 7 Jewish members resigned in protest of Schill's caving to the pro-Hamas encampment's demands.

3 faculty members Schill appointed had objected to the committee's creation and supported the phrase "from the river to the sea, and at least 2 supported BDS. Why would Schill think it's appropriate to appoint faculty members who defended antisemitism and opposed the committee's mission to combat it?

Schill claims the 7 members of the committee who resigned did not resign in protest, they resigned because the committee could not agree on a definition of antisemitism and because they were not consulted before the university caved to the pro-Hamas mob.

"How could they reach consensus if you have people already [on the committee] who made clear statements that were antisemitic?"
-@RepWalberg

@EdWorkforceCmte @NorthwesternU @RutgersU @UCLA @virginiafoxx @BobbyScott @usedgov @PhiBetaKappa @DonaldNorcross @RepWalberg @RepWalberg wants Schill to commit that he will not appoint committee members who support BDS or antisemitic expressions.

Schill avoids the question and says he will appoint committee members who he believes "are committed to fighting antisemitism."

Professor Jessica Winegar was appointed to the antisemitism committee despite being a leader of academic boycotts against Israel, referring to "Zionist media," condemning "white liberal politics," and signing a petition defending a terrorist who murdered two Israelis in a bombing.

Schill says he is against BDS but will not be discussing individual faculty members. He again says he will appoint committee members who he believes "are committed to fighting antisemitism."

Schill also refuses to condemn the @NorthwesternU MENA student association, which explicitly supported the October 7 massacre.

"I think we're hearing that there's no change going to take place at Northwestern University relative to antisemitism."
-@RepWalberg

@EdWorkforceCmte @NorthwesternU @RutgersU @UCLA @virginiafoxx @BobbyScott @usedgov @PhiBetaKappa @DonaldNorcross @RepWalberg Schill says he won't comment on rhetoric from students, faculty, or staff.

It seems like he won't be willing to say whether calls for the genocide of Jews violate @NorthwesternU's policies on bullying and harassment...

Schill, in response to @RepBonamici, says he decided negotiating with the encampment was the best way to "deescalate" and "keep students safe."

He says the tents came down "right after the agreement was struck" and that there was nothing in the agreement that addressed the interests of Jewish students other than taking down the encampment.

@RepStefanik notes that @NorthwesternU earned an F on the @ADL's antisemitism report card and turns attention to what happened at the antisemitic encampment at Northwestern.
⚫️ A Jewish Northwestern student was assaulted
⚫️ A Jewish student was verbally harassed and stalked to Hillel
⚫️ A Jewish student wearing a yarmulke was spat on

Schill says there "are allegations" of all these things, and there are investigations ongoing. He can't answer when the investigations will be finalized.

The commitments made by @NorthwesternU to the encampment include:
⚫️ Funding two visiting Palestinian faculty for two years
⚫️ Funding the full cost for five Palestinian undergrads

Before caving to the pro-Hamas encampment, Schill did not consult the antisemitism committee, the Board of Trustees, or outside counsel.

He did consult with two members of the antisemitism advisory committee, including anti-Israel professors Jessica Winegar and Nour Kteily and the Hillel director.

@RepStefanik says whistleblowers have shared with the @EdWorkforceCmte that President Schill asked the Hillel director whether it was possible to hire an "anti-Zionist" Hillel rabbi.

Schill denies the claim.

All three administrators agree that universities should be places where free speech is protected.

They also agree colleges have an obligation to protect students from harm.

All three claim their schools have taken "substantive steps" to eliminate discrimination, including antisemitism, though they acknowledge they need to do more.

@EdWorkforceCmte @NorthwesternU @RutgersU @UCLA @virginiafoxx @BobbyScott @usedgov @PhiBetaKappa @DonaldNorcross @RepWalberg @RepBonamici @RepStefanik @ADL @RepMarkTakano defends administrators who negotiate with "the mob," and asks what the hazards are of immediately punishing campus protesters.

Mr. Lawrence says the goal should always be dialogue and engagement and that attempting to deescalate should always be the first step.

Schill and Holloway say the encampments on their campuses came down peacefully, no arrests were needed, and the agreements reached with the encampments did not remove any rights or protections for Jewish students.

@RepMarkTakano contrasts this with UCLA, where students were arrested and others ended up in the hospital. Chancellor Block says the school will review the incident and says they tried very hard to "find an off ramp," but safety became an issue and they had to clear the encampment after protesters refused to voluntarily leave.

@RepRickAllen asks what students are doing while they're being investigated by universities for antisemitic conduct.

At @NorthwesternU, those students are under no restrictions.

At @RutgersU, "students who are under disciplinary review are not on our campus."

At @UCLA, students are still attending classes.

@EdWorkforceCmte @NorthwesternU @RutgersU @UCLA @virginiafoxx @BobbyScott @usedgov @PhiBetaKappa @DonaldNorcross @RepWalberg @RepBonamici @RepStefanik @ADL @RepMarkTakano @RepRickAllen @RepRickAllen asks Chancellor Block why he has not banned wearing masks on campus, in accordance with California law.

Block says they've allowed masks for Covid-19 and continue to allow that.

@EdWorkforceCmte @NorthwesternU @RutgersU @UCLA @virginiafoxx @BobbyScott @usedgov @PhiBetaKappa @DonaldNorcross @RepWalberg @RepBonamici @RepStefanik @ADL @RepMarkTakano @RepRickAllen No students at Northwestern have been suspended or expelled. What disciplinary action has been taken?

Schill says it runs the gamut from meeting with student affairs staff up to "disciplinary probation."

@RepStefanik calls out Northwestern's commitment in the agreement made with the encampment to fundraise "above and beyond its current commitment" to fund Palestinian faculty members.

Schill tries to deny that the commitment was part of the agreement and argues the program is for war-torn countries, not just for Palestinian faculty.

The "Deering Meadows Agreement" specifically notes increased funding for Palestinian faculty members.

Schill claims the program will also include Israeli faculty — though it's not mentioned in the agreement.

Schill says Israelis weren't included because they weren't at the pro-Hamas encampment, and Jewish and Israeli students were not consulted.

@DonaldNorcross asks Holloway why he did not dismantle the encampment at @RutgersU as soon as the encampment threatened to disrupt finals.

Holloway says as soon as he saw SJP's threatening Instagram post, he said the encampment had to be removed, but it took time for Rutgers police to ensure it could be done safely.

@EdWorkforceCmte @NorthwesternU @RutgersU @UCLA @virginiafoxx @BobbyScott @usedgov @PhiBetaKappa @DonaldNorcross @RepWalberg @RepBonamici @RepStefanik @ADL @RepMarkTakano @RepRickAllen "I think your performance here has been very embarrassing to your school."
-@RepJimBanks to @NorthwesternU President Schill

@RepJimBanks asks whether @thrasherxy, who is a professor at Northwestern who "scuffled with police officers" on campus in defense of the pro-Hamas mob, is still teaching at @NorthwesternU.

Schill says he refuses to discuss individual faculty members.

Thrasher also regularly spews antisemitic and pro-terror rhetoric on @X and on campus.

@EdWorkforceCmte @NorthwesternU @RutgersU @UCLA @virginiafoxx @BobbyScott @usedgov @PhiBetaKappa @DonaldNorcross @RepWalberg @RepBonamici @RepStefanik @ADL @RepMarkTakano @RepRickAllen @RepJimBanks @thrasherxy @RepJimBanks calls out faculty members who have praised Hamas and the Houthis and encouraged or coerced students to participate in the pro-Hamas encampment at Northwestern.

@RepJayapal all-lives-matters the issue of antisemitism on campus and attacks Congress representatives for "political bullying purposes."

She asks Schill about his neglecting to mention hate against Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim students on campus.

This is a hearing about antisemitism on campus.

Schill emphasizes he is committed to protecting all students.

@EdWorkforceCmte @NorthwesternU @RutgersU @UCLA @virginiafoxx @BobbyScott @usedgov @PhiBetaKappa @DonaldNorcross @RepWalberg @RepBonamici @RepStefanik @ADL @RepMarkTakano @RepRickAllen @RepJimBanks @thrasherxy @RepJayapal @RepBurgessOwens wants to know if Schill would have the same strategy of negotiation if the KKK was camped out on campus.

Schill refuses to engage in "hypotheticals."

Owens calls out Schill for giving the pro-Hamas students a "sweetheart deal."

@RepBurgessOwens attacks Northwestern for partnering with and accepting more than $600 million from the government of Qatar, which currently harbors and funds Hamas.

@EdWorkforceCmte @NorthwesternU @RutgersU @UCLA @virginiafoxx @BobbyScott @usedgov @PhiBetaKappa @DonaldNorcross @RepWalberg @RepBonamici @RepStefanik @ADL @RepMarkTakano @RepRickAllen @RepJimBanks @thrasherxy @RepJayapal @RepBurgessOwens Schill says he just found out last week that Northwestern had a partnership with pro-terror outlet @AlJazeera.

@RepBurgessOwens says Israel, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Egypt have all blocked Al Jazeera for its pro-terror bias.

@EdWorkforceCmte @NorthwesternU @RutgersU @UCLA @virginiafoxx @BobbyScott @usedgov @PhiBetaKappa @DonaldNorcross @RepWalberg @RepBonamici @RepStefanik @ADL @RepMarkTakano @RepRickAllen @RepJimBanks @thrasherxy @RepJayapal @RepBurgessOwens @AlJazeera @RepBurgessOwens asks Schill if, knowing what they know about Qatar and its support for terror, Northwestern will still renew its contract with Qatar.

Schill refuses to answer either way.

@EdWorkforceCmte @NorthwesternU @RutgersU @UCLA @virginiafoxx @BobbyScott @usedgov @PhiBetaKappa @DonaldNorcross @RepWalberg @RepBonamici @RepStefanik @ADL @RepMarkTakano @RepRickAllen @RepJimBanks @thrasherxy @RepJayapal @RepBurgessOwens @AlJazeera Schill says the decision regarding Northwestern's Qatar campus is up to the Board of Trustees and says he is "concerned" about the agreement with Al Jazeera and that Northwestern will "look into it."

@EdWorkforceCmte @NorthwesternU @RutgersU @UCLA @virginiafoxx @BobbyScott @usedgov @PhiBetaKappa @DonaldNorcross @RepWalberg @RepBonamici @RepStefanik @ADL @RepMarkTakano @RepRickAllen @RepJimBanks @thrasherxy @RepJayapal @RepBurgessOwens @AlJazeera @RepKManning says clearly none of the leaders testifying today were prepared for what happened on their campuses after October 7.

@EdWorkforceCmte @NorthwesternU @RutgersU @UCLA @virginiafoxx @BobbyScott @usedgov @PhiBetaKappa @DonaldNorcross @RepWalberg @RepBonamici @RepStefanik @ADL @RepMarkTakano @RepRickAllen @RepJimBanks @thrasherxy @RepJayapal @RepBurgessOwens @AlJazeera @RepKManning @RepKManning asks Schill why Northwestern did not take serious steps to address antisemitism and anti-Zionism on campus long before October 7.

Schill says he will "do what is necessary to combat antisemitism" and to educate students about antisemitism.

@RepKManning calls out the fact that Northwestern's task force on antisemitism had no experts on antisemitism on the task force.

Why hasn't UCLA taken serious steps to address antisemitism on campus long before October 7? @RepKManning says she has emails dating back to 2014 from alumni who tried to alert Block to growing antisemitism on campus.

Anti-discrimination is recommended for all incoming students at UCLA, but it's not required. It includes an "antisemitism discussion." He agrees that faculty "could also benefit" from antisemitism training.

@RepBobGood calls out antisemitism from @RUCSRR, who recently called Israel's government "genocidal."

While he says Israel has a right to defend itself, President Holloway refuses to say whether he thinks Israel's government is genocidal.

"Should Rutgers fund anti-Israel political advocacy?"
-@RepBobGood

Holloway says no.

But Good calls out several @RUCSRR statements and events in support or defense of terrorism, including 9/11, and antisemitic statements from RUCSRR professor @saharazizlaw.

And yet, Holloway says he has no plans to close the CSRR.

@RepSusanWild asks why Northwestern's antisemitism committee was not consulted before Schill "yielded to the demands" of the pro-Hamas encampment.

Schill says it wasn't in the committee's purview, and argues 16-17 members of the committee who "didn't have expertise in this area" and that "there is a limit" on how many people he could consult.

@EdWorkforceCmte @NorthwesternU @RutgersU @UCLA @virginiafoxx @BobbyScott @usedgov @PhiBetaKappa @DonaldNorcross @RepWalberg @RepBonamici @RepStefanik @ADL @RepMarkTakano @RepRickAllen @RepJimBanks @thrasherxy @RepJayapal @RepBurgessOwens @AlJazeera @RepKManning @RepBobGood @RUCSRR @saharazizlaw @RepSusanWild @RepSusanWild asks what administrations are planning to do to prepare for the fall.

All three administrators say this summer is an opportunity for "discussion" but no one offers any concrete actions.

@EdWorkforceCmte @NorthwesternU @RutgersU @UCLA @virginiafoxx @BobbyScott @usedgov @PhiBetaKappa @DonaldNorcross @RepWalberg @RepBonamici @RepStefanik @ADL @RepMarkTakano @RepRickAllen @RepJimBanks @thrasherxy @RepJayapal @RepBurgessOwens @AlJazeera @RepKManning @RepBobGood @RUCSRR @saharazizlaw @RepSusanWild @RepSteel highlights an incident at @UCLA during which someone slapped a Jewish student, removed the student's head covering, pulled out a Taser, and followed the Jewish student, and says she "hopes" the university identified and "dealt with" the perpetrator.

@EdWorkforceCmte @NorthwesternU @RutgersU @UCLA @virginiafoxx @BobbyScott @usedgov @PhiBetaKappa @DonaldNorcross @RepWalberg @RepBonamici @RepStefanik @ADL @RepMarkTakano @RepRickAllen @RepJimBanks @thrasherxy @RepJayapal @RepBurgessOwens @AlJazeera @RepKManning @RepBobGood @RUCSRR @saharazizlaw @RepSusanWild @RepSteel @RepSteel asks what UCLA did in response to professors offering extra credit to students who participated in the encampment.

Block says he is "unaware" of professors offering extra credit to encampment participants.

@RepSteel notes that antisemitism training isn't mandatory at UCLA, but a lecturer who gave a mandatory lecture to first-year UCLA medical students led the students in a "Free, free Palestine" chant.

Has UCLA opened an investigation into this? Block says the university is trying to verify the facts of that incident.

@EdWorkforceCmte @NorthwesternU @RutgersU @UCLA @virginiafoxx @BobbyScott @usedgov @PhiBetaKappa @DonaldNorcross @RepWalberg @RepBonamici @RepStefanik @ADL @RepMarkTakano @RepRickAllen @RepJimBanks @thrasherxy @RepJayapal @RepBurgessOwens @AlJazeera @RepKManning @RepBobGood @RUCSRR @saharazizlaw @RepSusanWild @RepSteel "I'm not really getting any answers from you, but I hope these public universities, especially getting federal funding, really have to teach our kids how to think, not just brainwash these kids."
-@RepSteel to Chancellor Block

@EdWorkforceCmte @NorthwesternU @RutgersU @UCLA @virginiafoxx @BobbyScott @usedgov @PhiBetaKappa @DonaldNorcross @RepWalberg @RepBonamici @RepStefanik @ADL @RepMarkTakano @RepRickAllen @RepJimBanks @thrasherxy @RepJayapal @RepBurgessOwens @AlJazeera @RepKManning @RepBobGood @RUCSRR @saharazizlaw @RepSusanWild @RepSteel @RepAdams asks how the universities have ensured their institutions are upholding free speech.

The administrators all emphasized their commitment to free speech but said academic freedom and free expression do not allow discrimination or harassment of students or faculty.

📷: Professor Thrasher defending pro-Hamas students at Northwestern.

In 2019, Thrasher hijacked NYU graduation to spread lies and demonize Israel and promote the antisemitic BDS movement.

Even so, Northwestern refused to rescind the job offer it had made to Thrasher. Thrasher has continued to spreading antisemitism and hate at Northwestern.
washingtontimes.com/news/2019/may/…

@RepKiley asks each administrator if "physically blocking students from entering campus based on their race, religious, or ethnicity" is an expellable offense.

None of them can definitively say yes.

@RepKiley shows a video of a Jewish UCLA student being denied access to areas of campus by pro-Hamas protesters on campus.

Block says he doesn't know if those protesters were students or outside actors, but that it's "being investigated." No disciplinary action has been taken yet.

The @ADL has called for Schill's resignation due to his capitulation to the pro-Hamas mob.

Schill says the ADL is wrong because the university was able to get rid of the antisemitic encampment with no violence.

@RepKiley says Northwestern did so "by institutionalizing antisemitism."

"You are the easiest case we have dealt with. You agreed to the demands of those who were trying to change university policy in an antisemitic way and you rewarded their tactics of using force."
-@RepKiley to President Schill

Kiley says if @NorthwesternU does not move to change its leadership, it will be endorsing the institutionalization and normalization of antisemitism.

#SchillMustResign

@RepAaronBean says "we see a of consequences" when it comes to antisemitism on campus.

At UCLA in November, a Jewish professor and her husband went to a counterprotest of an SJP protest, where students were chanting "slaughter the Jews" in Arabic and she was told by students "we will find you, we'll take care of you."

The next day, a UCLA student from the rally stalked her husband.

Two weeks later, several instances of antisemitic vandalism was reported at UCLA, as well as the identity of the person responsible.

Also in November, pro-Hamas protesters tore down hostage posters on UCLA's campus and chased a Jewish student with knives.

Block can't confirm what disciplinary action has been taken, but says the police were notified.