Latest news with #EllenGranberg
CNN
7 days ago
- Politics
- CNN
George Washington University becomes the latest target of the Trump administration
The Trump administration said on Tuesday it found George Washington University had violated federal civil rights law regarding Jewish, American Israeli, and Israeli students and faculty and will seek 'immediate remediation' from the school. In a statement, the U.S. Department of Justice said GWU had acted 'deliberately indifferent to the hostile educational environment for Jewish, American-Israeli, and Israeli students and faculty' during pro-Palestinian protests in April and May 2024. Representatives for the university based in Washington, D.C., could not be immediately reached for comment. In a letter sent to university President Ellen Granberg on Tuesday, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said the Justice Department found members of the university community engaged in 'antisemitic, disruptive protests,' including by establishing an encampment at University Yard. Dhillon said these efforts were meant to 'frighten, intimidate, and deny' Jewish, Israeli, and American Israeli students access to the university environment. 'The Department finds that despite actual notice of the abuses occurring on its campus, GWU was deliberately indifferent to the complaints it received, the misconduct that occurred, and the harms that were suffered,' Dhillon's letter said. Dhillon said the Justice Department intends to proceed with enforcement, but is offering the university the opportunity to resolve the matter through a voluntary resolution agreement. The university has until August 22 to indicate whether it has 'interest in such a dialog,' according to the letter. George Washington is the latest university to be targeted by the Trump administration, which has threatened to cut federal funds for universities over pro-Palestinian protests against U.S. ally Israel's war in Gaza. Protesters, including some Jewish groups, say the Trump administration wrongly equates their criticism of Israel's military assault in Gaza and its occupation of Palestinian territories with antisemitism, and advocacy for Palestinian rights with support for extremism.
India Today
7 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
US Justice Dept: George Washington University ‘indifferent' to campus antisemitism
The US Justice Department has accused George Washington University (GWU) of violating federal civil rights law by failing to address antisemitic harassment targeting Jewish, Israeli, and American Israeli students and faculty during campus protests earlier this university President Ellen Granberg on Tuesday, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said GWU had been 'deliberately indifferent to the hostile educational environment' that emerged during pro-Palestinian protests in April and May to the department, protesters established an encampment at University Yard and engaged in 'antisemitic, disruptive protests' intended to 'frighten, intimidate, and deny' Jewish and Israeli students access to campus life. 'The Department finds that despite actual notice of the abuses occurring on its campus, GWU was deliberately indifferent to the complaints it received, the misconduct that occurred, and the harms that were suffered,' Dhillon McClendon, a spokesperson for GWU, said the university is reviewing the letter, adding that antisemitism has "absolutely no place on our campuses or in a civil and humane society." "We have taken appropriate action under university policy and the law to hold individuals or organizations accountable, including during the encampment, and we do not tolerate behavior that threatens our community or undermines meaningful dialogue," McClendon said in a Justice Department is offering the school a chance to resolve the matter through a voluntary agreement, with an August 22 deadline to respond. If no deal is reached, the department says it will proceed with enforcement, according to the case makes GWU the latest university in the Trump administration's crosshairs over pro-Palestinian demonstrations linked to the war in Gaza. The administration has threatened to cut federal funding to schools it believes failed to curb campus antisemitism.- EndsWith inputs from ReutersMust Watch
Politico
7 days ago
- Politics
- Politico
Trump administration finds George Washington University failed to address campus antisemitism
'Every student has the right to equal educational opportunities without fear of harassment or abuse,' said Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon in a statement. 'No one is above the law, and universities that promulgate antisemitic discrimination will face legal consequences.' The university did not respond to a request for comment. GWU was one of 10 colleges the federal task force on combating antisemitism said it would visit due to antisemitic incidents on campus since October 2023. In a letter sent Tuesday to President Ellen Granberg, the DOJ said Jewish students and faculty were 'subjected to a hostile educational environment that was objectively offensive, severe, and pervasive.' Agency officials pointed to protests last year — including an encampment in the GWU's University Yard in the center of campus — that they said were disruptive and attempted to 'frighten' and 'intimidate' Jewish students. The notice also included examples of students being harassed while crossing campus or counterprotesting, as well as instances when university officials and police failed to intervene. 'To be clear, Jewish students were afraid to attend class, to be observed, or, worse, to be 'caught' and perhaps physically beaten on GWU's campus,' the letter said, adding that the university received at least eight complaints of antisemitic discrimination because of the protests.
CNN
7 days ago
- Politics
- CNN
George Washington University becomes the latest target of the Trump administration
The Middle East Campus protests Federal agenciesFacebookTweetLink Follow The Trump administration said on Tuesday it found George Washington University had violated federal civil rights law regarding Jewish, American Israeli, and Israeli students and faculty and will seek 'immediate remediation' from the school. In a statement, the U.S. Department of Justice said GWU had acted 'deliberately indifferent to the hostile educational environment for Jewish, American-Israeli, and Israeli students and faculty' during pro-Palestinian protests in April and May 2024. Representatives for the university based in Washington, D.C., could not be immediately reached for comment. In a letter sent to university President Ellen Granberg on Tuesday, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said the Justice Department found members of the university community engaged in 'antisemitic, disruptive protests,' including by establishing an encampment at University Yard. Dhillon said these efforts were meant to 'frighten, intimidate, and deny' Jewish, Israeli, and American Israeli students access to the university environment. 'The Department finds that despite actual notice of the abuses occurring on its campus, GWU was deliberately indifferent to the complaints it received, the misconduct that occurred, and the harms that were suffered,' Dhillon's letter said. Dhillon said the Justice Department intends to proceed with enforcement, but is offering the university the opportunity to resolve the matter through a voluntary resolution agreement. The university has until August 22 to indicate whether it has 'interest in such a dialog,' according to the letter. George Washington is the latest university to be targeted by the Trump administration, which has threatened to cut federal funds for universities over pro-Palestinian protests against U.S. ally Israel's war in Gaza. Protesters, including some Jewish groups, say the Trump administration wrongly equates their criticism of Israel's military assault in Gaza and its occupation of Palestinian territories with antisemitism, and advocacy for Palestinian rights with support for extremism.
CNN
7 days ago
- Politics
- CNN
George Washington University becomes the latest target of the Trump administration
The Middle East Campus protests Federal agencies FacebookTweetLink The Trump administration said on Tuesday it found George Washington University had violated federal civil rights law regarding Jewish, American Israeli, and Israeli students and faculty and will seek 'immediate remediation' from the school. In a statement, the U.S. Department of Justice said GWU had acted 'deliberately indifferent to the hostile educational environment for Jewish, American-Israeli, and Israeli students and faculty' during pro-Palestinian protests in April and May 2024. Representatives for the university based in Washington, D.C., could not be immediately reached for comment. In a letter sent to university President Ellen Granberg on Tuesday, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said the Justice Department found members of the university community engaged in 'antisemitic, disruptive protests,' including by establishing an encampment at University Yard. Dhillon said these efforts were meant to 'frighten, intimidate, and deny' Jewish, Israeli, and American Israeli students access to the university environment. 'The Department finds that despite actual notice of the abuses occurring on its campus, GWU was deliberately indifferent to the complaints it received, the misconduct that occurred, and the harms that were suffered,' Dhillon's letter said. Dhillon said the Justice Department intends to proceed with enforcement, but is offering the university the opportunity to resolve the matter through a voluntary resolution agreement. The university has until August 22 to indicate whether it has 'interest in such a dialog,' according to the letter. George Washington is the latest university to be targeted by the Trump administration, which has threatened to cut federal funds for universities over pro-Palestinian protests against U.S. ally Israel's war in Gaza. Protesters, including some Jewish groups, say the Trump administration wrongly equates their criticism of Israel's military assault in Gaza and its occupation of Palestinian territories with antisemitism, and advocacy for Palestinian rights with support for extremism.
