The University of Pennsylvania is under scrutiny by a U.S. congressional committee for its alleged inadequate response to antisemitism on campus.
The committee made this known on Wednesday, expressing its concerns about the university's handling of antisemitic incidents.
The Committee on Education and the Workforce, chaired by Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., has formally requested the university to provide all records of antisemitic incidents and any corresponding disciplinary actions taken since the start of 2021. The request is a response to lingering doubts about the university's commitment to addressing antisemitism, following a series of controversial statements made by the university's then-President, Elizabeth Magill, during a congressional hearing last year.
In the hearing, when questioned about whether advocating for the extermination of Jews would breach the university's code of conduct, Magill responded, "it is a context-dependent decision." This statement, among others, led to widespread criticism and her subsequent resignation in December.
Despite the departures of Magill and Scott Bok, the former Chairman of Penns Board of Trustees, Foxx asserts that the university's shortcomings in dealing with antisemitism extend far beyond these two individuals. She accused the university of a "clear double standard" in its approach to antisemitism, citing its claim of commitment to free speech as a defense.
"Penn has demonstrated a clear double standard by tolerating antisemitic vandalism, harassment, and intimidation, but suppressing and penalizing other expression it deemed problematic," Foxx wrote in the letter.
The letter details numerous instances of antisemitic incidents at the university, painting a "deeply troubling pattern." These incidents, which occurred both before and after the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attack on Israel, range from antisemitic graffiti to offensive statements made by students and faculty. The letter also mentions threatening emails directed at Penn Hillel and a dormitory named after Jewish philanthropists, which led to an FBI investigation.
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