‘You create safe haven for antisemitic behaviour’: Harvard, UPenn, MIT presidents grilled by US committee

A US House of Representatives committee on Tuesday grilled the presidents of Ivy League institutions, Harvard University, University of Pennsylvania and Massachusetts Institute of Technology on their efforts to combat antisemitism in the university premises following Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7 that has triggered a war between Israel and Palestine. Some suggested that the response was mere rhetoric and that their measures to curb antisemitism on campus was inadequate. 

Claudine Gay of Harvard University, Liz Magill of the University of Pennsylvania and Sally Kornbluth of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who appeared before the committee to give their testimony, denounced Hamas’ attack and to ensure the safety of Jewish students but also reiterated their commitment to free speech. 

Gay said that Harvard does not sanction individuals for their political views or their speech, but when that speech crosses their code of conduct or violates their behavior-based policy against bullying, harassment and intimidation, they ensure action. 

Republican Representative Lisa McClain of Michigan said that people deserve answers and not rhetoric. McClain said that it is clear for all to see that Jewish students in these campuses are afraid to be themselves because the universities do not take real action against antisemitism. 

In one such back and forth, Republican Representative Elise Stefanik asked Gay if a student calling for the "mass murder of African-Americans" on campus was protected under free speech. As Gay began to answer with "Our commitment to free speech...,"  Gay was interrupted by Stefanik who said:  "It’s a yes or no question. Let me ask you this: you are the president of Harvard, so I assume you are familiar with the term 'intifada', correct?”

Gay said she was aware of the term, and when pressed on by Stefanik, she said that hate speeches are abhorrent to her, and that she has heard “thoughtless, reckless, and hateful language” in their campus. When asked if hate speeches were a violation of Harvard’s code of conduct, she said that it is at odds with the value of Harvard."We embrace a commitment to free expression and give a wide berth to free expression even of views that are objectionable, outrageous and offensive," she further said.

Harvard and UPenn have come under severe backlash from its prominent Jewish alumni and donors, many of whom have cut ties with them. 

A Palestinian Writers festival, organised at UPenn, in September featured some pro-Palestinian speakers whose words were described as antisemitic by critics. That outrage intensified after the October 7 attacks. After the attacks on Israel, over 30 student groups in Harvard signed a letter blaming Israel for the violence that consumed the region after October 7. 

Gay was also asked by Representative Kevin Kiley if she had any regrets about her delayed response to the letter signed by the student groups. Gay said that if she knew the statement would be wrongly attributed to the university, not just to the student groups, she would have spoken out sooner.

Representative Jim Banks told Magill, “You create a safe haven for this type of antisemitic behavior.” Magill said that she opposed the antisemitic views but never considered cancelling the event. "We have probably thousands of speakers on campus every single year. Many of them I disagree with. I don't cancel or censor them in advance of their arrival to campus," Magill said, referring to the Palestinian Writers festival. 

(With Reuters inputs)

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