On Thursday, the House Committee on Education and the Workforce held a hearing on "Calling for Accountability: Stopping Antisemitic College Chaos," one of many to address the rampant antisemitism that has gotten out of control at college campuses. Among the witnesses included Michael Schill, president of Northwestern University. While questioning Schill, Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN) called out Schill and lambasted the university's handling of antisemitism as well as differing standards.
Schill was quite forthcoming about how he was "proud to be in the Big 10 conference" and was "fully committed to remaining in the Big 10 conference," but was not quite forthcoming about other matters, including to do with the firing of a football coach over hazing allegations, after a two-week suspension had been all that was recommended.
The point Banks was looking to make was that Schill and the university were willing to cave to "the backlash from the left-wing mob" about how suspension wasn't good enough. Members of that mob included faculty members, who also took issue with Schill daring to create a task force on antisemitism.
"Here's what's relevant, Mr. President: you said that the decision to originally suspend Coach Fitzgerald was mine and mine alone, as is the decision to part ways with him. So, it's your decision, your decision alone," Banks brought up. He also referenced Professor Steven Thrasher, described as "one of the goons behind me" in a picture of faculty members locking arms with pro-Hamas agitators on campus. There was even interactions that involved blocking police officers from handling encampments at Northwestern.
As Banks described it, "they locked arms, scuffled with police officers, blocked police officers on your campus from doing their job." The congressman thus wanted to know "do they continue to teach students at Northwestern University after this embarrassing incident?"
Schill refused to comment "on individual faculty members," prompting Banks to wonder "is it your decision and your decision alone to allow those professors to continue to teach students on your campus?"
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As the university president tried to hide behind "due process," Banks got a bit of a chuckle as he wondered "do you believe in due process except for the decision that you made about Coach Fitzgerald," adding Schill was trying to "have your cake and eat it too." While trying to claim they "followed the contract," Schill dismissively mentioned "we had an investigation but I don't--I'm not going to go on and on about that."
Banks once more returned to the photo behind him of faculty members assisting with pro-Hamas students and impeding police. "Is it okay for faculty members at Northwestern University to scuffle with police officers?! To lock arms and prevent police officers from doing their job?! You said in your opening statements that this encampment was responsible for antisemitic behavior that made Jewish students feel unsafe to go to class! Is it okay for faculty members--is it okay, do they get away with that at Northwestern University?!"
Schill refused to condemn the encampment or the professors' actions in his response. Rather, he hid behind how "I am not going to comment on an ongoing investigations in faculty personnel matters." As Schill tried to claim "there is a rule," Banks let it known just how he felt, emphasizing it was "unbelievable, President Schill, that those faculty members would continue to have a job."
Once more bringing up Thrasher, Banks pointed out he's "something of a professional prognosticator," and that he even went to Columbia University to participate in the pro-Hamas encampments going on there, who has also spoken at the Deering Meadow encampment. "And you pay his bills," Banks reminded Schill. "You're responsible for Steven Thrasher's activities, which is really, really crazy."
As Schill was able to acknowledge that "everything I know suggested that Hamas is a terrorist organization," Banks demanded to know "is it okay for professors or faculty members at Northwestern University to praise Hamas or the Houthis? Hamas, by the way, responsible for the attacks on October 7 that killed over 1,000 Jews and Israelis on a very terrible and dark day in Israel. Is it okay for your faculty members to praise Hamas and the Houthis?"
Schill once more became combative and less than forthcoming. "And are you saying okay meaning is it something that I would do, or are you saying okay," he tried to point out, before Banks again insisted to know "do you allow your professors and faculty members to do that?"
As Schill brought up free speech rights for faculty members, Banks submitted statements from faculty members praising Hamas and Houthis. "And, by the way, is it okay for faculty members, teachers to tell their students to go to these encampments or coerce them, push them toward that type of political behavior, to go participate and lock arms with the encampments, and maybe tie their grades to that, or make them feel like that's something they should participate with."
Feeling the need to look to Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) for permission to answer, Schill gave something of a generic non-answer as he offered "our faculty members--no one at our school may engage in discriminatory, harassing, or intimidating behavior."
Banks, just as his time had expired, also entered into the record further comments and pointed out billions of dollars are going to Northwestern and that "we shouldn't give you another taxpayer dollar for the joke your university has become."
.@RepJimBanks rips into Northwestern University's president for refusing to condemn and hold accountable professors and faculty members who participated in pro-Hamas protests on campus:
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) May 23, 2024
"We shouldn't give you another taxpayer dollar for the joke your university has become..." pic.twitter.com/Iqjp3WkxAf
"Northwestern has one standard for radical leftists and another standard for everyone else. Mr. Schill has allowed his campus to become a safe haven for antisemitic agitators even while benefiting from $5 billion in US taxpayer dollars. Congress must hold him accountable," Banks also told Townhall regarding the exchange.
Northwestern has had some egregious examples of antisemitism as well as allowing for pro-Hamas encampments, even negotiating with the terrorist sympathizers. Jewish Insider earlier this month referenced how "Northwestern University set the precedent for conceding to some of the protesters’ demands when its president, Michael Schill, reached an agreement with the activists to end their anti-Israel encampment, in which protesters camped out and engulfed campuses for weeks."
Also during the hearing, Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) confirmed from Schill that there have not been any suspensions or expulsions of pro-Hamas agitators intimidating Jewish students. This is despite threats the university made about the encampments.
Northwestern is standing idly by as antisemitic rioters harass Jewish students.@RepStefanik: "It is a fact, you said that there have been ZERO suspensions, ZERO expulsions."
— House Committee on Education & the Workforce (@EdWorkforceCmte) May 23, 2024
Schill: "Thus far." pic.twitter.com/tgvVRwjvOY
This morning, @NorthwesternU made a clear statement about consequences for the new pro-Hamas encampment. NU police were overwhelmed & driven back by the mob. Tents are still up. Soon — very soon — NU leaders need to make good on their promises & assert their authority, or this… pic.twitter.com/yF6VDLfCIG
— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) April 25, 2024
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