DePaul University president testifies on antisemitism
DePaul president Robert Manuel was the latest local university president called to Washington to testify on allegations of antisemitism at their schools.
Why it matters: Students at DePaul have joined campuses across the country since 2023 in calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Gaza war and urging university leadership to divest from any financial attachments in Israel.
Driving the news: Manuel and leaders from Haverford College and California Polytechnic State University (San Luis Obispo) testified Wednesday before the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
Catch up quick: Two Jewish students were allegedly attacked at DePaul in November.
The Cook County State's Attorney confirmed last month that a suspect had been arrested and charged with two counts of a hate crime and two counts of aggravated battery with great bodily harm.
What they're saying: Manuel used his opening statement to apologize to the students who were allegedly attacked: "No one should ever be attacked because of who they are, and I am sorry for the pain that they are experiencing."
"For the past year and a half, we have taken concrete steps to ensure Jewish students and all students are safe on our campus. We've introduced new limits on campus protests through our time, place and manner restrictions, and we've enforced them."
State of play: Republican U.S. Rep. Mary Miller questioned Manuel on the school's response to the encampments, claiming that of the schools present at Wednesday's hearing, DePaul had the most, and asked how many students had been suspended.
Manuel said two student groups had been suspended and two people had been arrested, which Miller mocked as not enough.
Between the lines: The hearing was the eighth time the committee has publicly questioned university leaders about antisemitism.
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