Tipsheet

Another University Is Now Being Investigated for Antisemitism

Leah Barkoukis
Leah Barkoukis  |  February 13, 2024 11:30 AM

The House Committee on Education & the Workforce announced Monday that it is expanding its antisemitism probe.

Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Pennsylvania were the subject of the initial investigation, launched after the disastrous congressional hearing in December when the schools' presidents would not say whether calls for genocide against the Jewish people violated campus policies. 

Now, the Committee is taking a closer look at Columbia University and its affiliated Barnard College.

While an antisemitic environment has been pervasive at Columbia for decades, numerous troubling incidents, including assaults, harassment, and vandalism have taken place since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel, according to a letter Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) sent a letter to officials at Columbia and Barnard.

Some of the incidents highlighted in the letter include: 

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An Israeli Columbia student was beaten with a stick by a former Columbia undergraduate whom the victim had confronted about ripping down flyers of Israeli hostages. The assailant shouted, ‘F*** you. F*** all you prick crackers.’
…
At an Anti-Israel protest by Columbia’s chapters of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), students chanted ‘from the river to the sea’ and held a ‘die-in.’ Following the rally, the crowd of protestors moved toward the university’s Kraft Center for Jewish Life, causing the building to be locked down and Jewish students to shelter inside.
…
Columbia suspended SJP and JVP on November 10, 2023, for numerous violations of university policy. This rendered them ineligible to hold events on campus. However, the university has repeatedly failed to enforce this decision and has allowed these groups and others to hold unauthorized antisemitic, anti-Israel events without consequence.
…
A Jewish Columbia undergraduate wearing a shirt with an Israeli flag on it was assaulted after leaving a pro-Israel counterprotest, being ‘slammed’ into and pinned against a building by an anti-Israel protester in a keffiyeh. After the Jewish student broke free and escaped, his assailant shouted, ‘[k]eep running, keep fu**ing running.’ 
…
Columbia Law School’s Student Senate denied recognition to a proposed student organization called Law Students Against Antisemitism. According to the Columbia Spectator, nine organizations have requested recognition this year, and Law Students Against Antisemitism has been the only one not to receive approval. 
…
A swastika was found drawn on a bathroom wall in Columbia’s School of International and Public Affairs building.” 

Foxx also detailed how despite Columbia’s suspension of Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace for violating university policy, the university has not enforced its decision.

The Committee is requesting a number of documents and information about how the school has handled antisemitism on campus by Feb. 26.