Northwestern University's relationship with Qatar, a nation known for its alliance with Hamas, has come under scrutiny due to a clause in their contract that effectively silences any criticism of the Qatari regime.
This revelation came to light during an interview conducted by the House Committee on Education and Workforce with the soon-to-depart Northwestern University president, Michael Schill.
According to The Washington Free Beacon, the interview delved into the details of Northwestern's contract with the Qatar Foundation, a nonprofit organization chaired by the emir of Qatar's mother. The foundation is responsible for funding the presence of Northwestern and other American universities in the Gulf state.
The contract includes a clause that binds all associated with Northwestern University to respect and abide by the laws, cultural norms, and social customs of Qatar.
Qatar's penal code, which criminalizes criticism of its government and flag, and bans online content deemed harmful by the regime, is a point of concern. A media manager for Qatar's 2022 World Cup, who is of Jordanian origin, was sentenced to five years in prison for expressing concerns over the treatment of migrant workers. A Northwestern Qatar student was also arrested over a tweet, as revealed in the House interview.
When questioned about Northwestern Qatar's compliance with Qatari laws, Schill responded, "I believe it has to." However, he was uncertain about whether this compliance extended to Qatari censorship laws. He also expressed ignorance about whether Qatar would permit a Northwestern faculty member or student to publicly criticize the regime.
This disclosure sheds light on the extent of control Qatar exerts over Northwestern. Schill confirmed during his House interview that anti-Semitism training offered at Northwestern's main campus is not provided in Qatar. He was unable to provide a reason for this discrepancy.
The House investigators also questioned Schill about emails sent by Qatar Foundation staffers to the dean of Northwestern Qatar. These emails provided talking points on diplomatic roles and mediation efforts in Palestine/Gaza and Afghanistan, and reactions from international politicians. Another email from a Qatar Foundation staffer included a statement from the foundation's CEO, asserting their unwavering support for Palestine. This email was sent to the deans of all U.S. universities in Doha, including Georgetown University, Carnegie Mellon University, and Weill Cornell Medicine.
Northwestern University, which established its Qatar campus in 2008, has received $737 million from Qatar, as testified by Schill. He stated that approximately 90 percent of this funding covers the direct costs of the Qatar campus, while the remainder benefits Northwestern's U.S. campus, funding indirect costs, overheads, and a quasi-endowment at the School of Communications. Schill described this financial benefit as "meager."
The future of Northwestern's relationship with Qatar, post the contract expiration in 2028, remains uncertain. Schill mentioned that the school is conducting a multiyear review of this relationship. However, he will not be involved in this review, having announced his resignation amid Northwestern's ongoing battle with the Trump administration, which withdrew $790 million in federal funding to the school over its response to campus anti-Semitism.
Schill's tenure as president was marked by his response to anti-Israel student radicals who violated school rules by pitching tents on campus. Schill chose negotiation over forceful removal of the tents, fearing potential armed participants. He enlisted the help of Middle Eastern studies professor Jessica Winegar and management professor Nour Kteily for these negotiations.
During these negotiations, university provost Kathleen Hagerty suggested a boycott of the sale of Sabra hummus as a possible concession to the students' demand for Northwestern to divest from Israel. Hagerty also advised patience to the students if they were serious about actual divestment.
Schill was the first university president to strike a deal with encampment participants, which included commitments to hire two Palestinian professors and offer full scholarships to five students from Gaza. One of the hired professors was Mkhaimar Abusada, a visiting associate professor of political science, who serves on the board of two organizations with close ties to Hamas and Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine terrorists. Despite being unaware of these affiliations at the time of Abusada's hiring, Schill did not express concern when these affiliations were brought up during his interview with House investigators.
Schill will continue as Northwestern's president until an interim leader is appointed, after which he will take a sabbatical before returning as a professor in the law school. Meanwhile, Hagerty remains in her Northwestern provost role. The implications of Northwestern's relationship with Qatar and the potential impacts on academic freedom and integrity continue to be a matter of concern and debate.
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