DePaul University president grilled by House Education and Workforce Committee over campus antisemitism

Yahoo

08-05-2025

WASHINGTON (AP/WGN) — DePaul University President Robert Manuel and the heads of two other colleges were grilled before the House Education and Workforce Committee (HEWC) Wednesday.
Manuel and his counterparts were berated by Republican lawmakers in a congressional hearing on campus antisemitism, with some suggesting schools should lose federal funding because if they refuse to discuss student discipline in the wake of pro-Palestinian protests.
'You knew yourself there was a problem, but decided not to remove it. Why?' said Republican Rep. Lisa McClain of Michigan.
'At that moment, we realized the security of safety of everyone was at jeopardy,' Manuel said. 'That is the moment we decided to work with CPD.'
'And it took you six days?' McClain said.
Committee members also asked Manuel how he plans to stop the spread of anti-Semitism at DePaul.
'We've taken strong steps to support our Jewish community members prioritizing campus safety and student well being,' Manuel said. 'We have made mistakes along the way. As DePaul's leader, I want to acknowledge that openly.'
Just this week, DePaul announced a new policy requiring staff and students to remove masks or face coverings if asked by a public safety officer. The university has also suspended some pro-Palestinian groups on campus like 'Students for Justice in Palestine,' which spoke out Wednesday on Manuel's testimony.
'Today, we heard from President Manuel himself, testify and brag about silencing and repressing Palestinian voices, which he claims will keep other students safe,' Olivia Zaied said. 'He has made it clear that he supports the stereotyping of Palestinian students as violent criminals not worthy of free speech.'
Last October, Jewish students at DePaul, Max Long and Michael Kaminsky, were attacked on the university's campus in what was investigated as a hate crime. At the hearing Wednesday, Manuel apologized to the young men.
'What happened to them was a hate crime,' Manuel said. 'No one should ever be attacked because of who they are, and I'm sorry for the pain they're experiencing.'
Wendy Raymond, the president of Haverford College, was singled out as the only one who would not detail punishments for students and faculty accused of anti-Jewish bias during the hearing. Asked repeatedly, Raymond said her institution does not publicize the outcomes of disciplinary processes.
'I suppose it's your First Amendment right to be evasive, but it's also our right to decide that such institutions are not deserving of taxpayer money,' said Republican Rep. Bob Onder of Missouri.
Also appearing before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce were Jeffrey Armstrong of California Polytechnic State University. It was the latest in a series of hearings scrutinizing university presidents over their responses to allegations of anti-Jewish bias in the wake of Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on Israel and a wave of protests that swept the nation's campuses.
Unlike others that featured leaders of Harvard, Columbia and other elite institutions — with stumbles that later contributed to their resignations — this one intentionally focused on lesser-known schools. Republicans sought to look beyond the Ivy League to underscore the pervasiveness of antisemitism on U.S. campuses.
The committee's leaders aimed to choose a diverse mix of colleges. Haverford is a small liberal arts school outside Philadelphia, founded by Quakers. Cal Poly is a campus of 22,000 students in San Luis Obispo, California. DePaul is a Catholic university in the city's Lincoln Park neighborhood.
For more than three hours, Republicans grilled the presidents over reports of anti-Jewish harassment on their campuses, ranging from social media posts to the attack of Long and Kaminsky. Democrats denounced the hearing, calling it political theater that does little to fight discrimination.
The trio of presidents mostly struck a deferential tone, acknowledging some missteps while highlighting work to make students feel safer. Raymond joined Manuel in apologizing for shortcomings, while Armstrong said 'We have to do better' holding people accountable for prejudice.
But while the presidents of Cal Poly and DePaul shared information on disciplinary action against antisemitism, Raymond refused.
'We do not talk about those numbers publicly,' she said when pressed on the question. She acknowledged some action had taken but declined to go further.
It drew a searing rebuke from Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., known for orchestrating fiery exchanges with former presidents of Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania that contributed to their resignations last year.
'Respectfully, president of Haverford, many people have sat in this position who are no longer in their positions as presidents of universities for their failure to answer straightforward questions,' Stefanik said.
Stefanik questioned Raymond over a professor's social media post describing the Hamas attacks as 'imprisoned people breaking free from their chains.' Raymond called it repugnant but refused to discuss individual cases.
Other Republicans endorsed the idea of funding cuts for schools that refuse to disclose punishments, saying Congress should explore the issue. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie of Pennsylvania said it should be a baseline for receiving funding.
Republicans began the series of hearings in late 2023 and have routinely called education leaders to Capitol Hill to testify. Those called include chiefs of Harvard, Columbia, Penn, Northwestern University and the University of California, Los Angeles.
The Trump administration has separately frozen billions of dollars in grants to colleges targeted by a federal antisemitism task force. Those targeted include Columbia, Penn and Harvard, which is suing to restore $2.2 billion in grants. The Education Department doubled down last week, saying Harvard is no longer eligible for new grants.
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