"The Department of Education is warning 60 colleges and universities currently under federal scrutiny for "antisemitic discrimination and harassment" that they could face consequences if they don't fulfill obligations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. "

"Northwestern University was one of 60 schools that received letters Monday warning them of potential enforcement actions if they do not fulfill their obligations to protect Jewish students on campus. The letters are the latest in a long line of actions taken by President Donald Trump to crack down on antisemitism. In a press release Monday, the department warned that federal funding or 'public investment funded by U.S. taxpayers' to those who 'do not fulfill their obligations' could be withdrawn."

"How can American universities allow their faculty to justify terrorism? Because many of them are funded – bought – by Qatar, a country with a vested interest in spreading extremist ideology. The more research I did, the clearer the pattern became: Qatar is using America’s elite schools as vehicles for propaganda, erasing the line between education and indoctrination. Qatar has poured over $6 billion into US universities in the past decade, making it the single largest foreign donor in American academia. Prestigious institutions like Harvard, Georgetown, and Northwestern have eagerly accepted these funds, establishing satellite campuses in Doha and injecting Qatari influence directly into their programs. What does Qatar get in return? Influence, power, and the ability to manipulate curricula, reward pro-Qatar faculty, and silence dissenting voices."

"The training relies on separate datasets to show anti-Semitic and anti-Muslim hate crimes. For anti-Semitic attacks, it cites official FBI data. But for Muslim attacks, the training showed unverified figures from CAIR—without citing the source. As a result, the training falsely suggests there were five times more incidents against Muslims than Jews."

"The U.S. Department of Education recently announced an investigation of five universities that have failed to protect their Jewish students. I am pleased to see the U.S. administration's determination to combat antisemitism in all walks of life, including on university campuses. However, I was saddened to see Northwestern University among these five institutions under investigation. Saddened, but not surprised."

"Around $15 million worth of Northwestern’s grants from the National Science Foundation were identified as promoting DEI and “neo-Marxist class warfare propaganda” by a new U.S. Senate Commerce Committee database released Tuesday."

"These investigations build upon the foundational work of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce under then-Chairwoman Virginia Foxx, which found that university administrations 'overwhelmingly failed' to protect or support their Jewish students, even making 'astounding concessions' to illegal, anti-American encampments,' the department said in a release."

"In a statement responding to the investigation, Northwestern said it intends to fully comply with the probe. 'There is no place for antisemitism or any form of identity-based discrimination or hate at Northwestern University. Free expression and academic freedom are among our core values, but we have made clear that these values provide no excuse for behavior that threatens the well-being of others,' the university said. Northwestern said it was confident in the actions it's taken to address antisemitism, including updating its student code of conduct and disciplinary procedures, and making investments in public safety."

"University leaders secretly negotiated with anti-Israel protesters and hoped to give them 'amazing wins' despite publicly condemning them, a report released Thursday found. Uncovered emails reveal multiple university administrators at Columbia University and Northwestern University engaged in negotiation efforts with protesters while demonstrations continued to rage on campus, according to the report from the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. Staff secretly expressed that they were 'inspired by the students' and were 'hoping we can get some amazing wins for them.'"

"Northwestern University President Michael Schill, who testified before the committee last spring, expressed an openness to removing Sabra hummus from campus to appease protesters. The report said Schill appointed anti-Israel faculty to negotiate with the students who camped outside in protest of Israel’s offensive in Gaza. One suggested removing the popular hummus brand. Another suggestion taken under consideration, according to the report, was hiring an anti-Zionist rabbi. Schill also excluded Jewish members of his President’s Advisory Committee on Preventing Antisemitism and Hate, according to the report."

"When Northwestern University’s president put together a team of negotiators to meet with students protesting the Gaza war last spring, he tapped two faculty members who were sympathetic to their cause: Jessica Winegar, a Jewish anthropologist who has called for an academic boycott of Israel, and Nour Kteily, a management professor who has published research critical of Israel."

"The reasons for the decision were not entirely pure. Northwestern saw the potential for liability after university officials received a letter sent from the Coalition Against Antisemitism at Northwestern warning that the agreement violates a law preventing instruction to a terrorist group. The university did not want to be sued for abetting terrorism. But repentance is repentance, even if it comes for the wrong reasons. And this decision finally turns Northwestern from a tragic failure in fighting antisemitism to a trailblazer that could lead the way in highlighting the dangers of Al Jazeera."

"The Coalition Against Anti-Semitism at Northwestern (CAAN), a group of Northwestern community members, alumni, and allies working to fight anti-Semitism, released a report in May, which was obtained by Campus Reform, calling on the Illinois-based university to cut its ties with both Al Jazeera and Qatar. The report found that Al Jazeera “quite clearly betrays basic standards of journalism by being the sanctioned and singular voice on behalf of its government, in clear alignment with Qatar’s national priorities and interests.” ”

"We speak with journalist, author and academic Steven Thrasher, the chair of social justice reporting at the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. He was singled out by name during a congressional hearing about pro-Palestine protests on college campuses earlier this year, with one Republican lawmaker calling him a “goon” for protecting students in an encampment from violent arrest. "

"Even leaving aside Northwestern’s inability to admit that it has a specific and ongoing problem with Jew hatred, the plan demonstrates that the school, like so many others, fundamentally misunderstands or refuses to confront the particular brand of anti-Semitism now infecting elite institutions."

“Even if Northwestern can define harmful speech, enforcement will likely be uneven. Last spring, Northwestern failed to punish student conduct that obviously violated its conduct code. Moving forward, will Northwestern really punish student protesters chanting, ‘From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free’? What about students who post the phrase on social media? We suspect the university will find itself unable to enforce disciplinary action in the face of concerted student protest. But students with minority views, those unable to rally protests, those whom administrators find unsympathetic, will not be similarly protected.”

"Northwestern President Michael Schill announced the moves in an email that said the mandatory training will be part of new student orientation and held over the fall quarter for returning students."

"In a message to the school community President Michael Schill said the programs include one on “religious literacy,” the aim of which is an “integration of antisemitism and Islamophobia.” It will be led by the Institutional Diversity and Inclusion Office. Other programs which focus exclusively on antisemitism will be mandatory for all new and returning students. Additionally, the university will host a series of lectures on both antisemitism and Islamophobia, as well as “the history and politics of the conflict in the Middle East.”"

“'We need to ensure every member of our community feels safe and supported,' Northwestern President Michael Schill said in the statement. 'Activities that lead to intimidation and impede an environment where dialogue and education can flourish cannot occur again.'"

"While I respect passionate advocacy on any issue, including the decades-long Israel-Palestinian conflict, that advocacy should never come at the expense of the rights of everyone to attend school in a safe, respectful environment. "

"StandWithUs ... sent a legal demand letter to Northwestern’s Board of Trustees on Monday 'objecting to the unlawful and immoral agreement the administration entered into, capitulating to the discriminatory demands of student, faculty, and outside agitators on April 29, 2024.'"

“At a time when Jewish and Israeli students across the country are under unprecedented attack, Northwestern’s leadership shouldn’t engage in patchwork unlawful actions but instead strive to be a part of the solution.”

"Some of the points named include the wrongful offering of disciplinary amnesty to the activists; inaction to protect Jewish students who violated Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act; and failing to follow university policies by making a financial agreement without the approval of the Board of Trustees."

"[Rep. Virginia] Foxx said in the letter that 'Northwestern’s record suggests that it does not take complying with the Committee’s oversight efforts or upholding its Title VI obligations to protect Jewish students seriously.'"

"'If we could come out with a joint statement of Palestinians, Israelis, Jews and Muslims and unite against extremism, it would be possible to calm things down. But there is a structural problem in universities - in the Humanities, Social sciences, History, and Political science faculties, they hold critical theories, which mean that you change the world by destroying it.'"

"'“Turns out that Al Jazeera is not just a platform for anti-Israel, pro-terrorist propaganda; it is also a safe haven for Hamas supporters,' said Rep. Owens."

"Foxx’s letter alleges that, 'rather than being cooperative and transparent, Northwestern has obstructed the Committee’s investigation of' antisemitism and Schill 'refused to answer questions,' 'made statements at odds with the public record' and 'demonstrated an overall attitude of contempt' for the committee."

"Two weeks after Northwestern University President Michael Schill testified on Capitol Hill, the House Education Committee sent a scathing letter accusing the university of obstructing its antisemitism investigation, and accusing Schill of refusing to answer questions during that contentious, hours-long hearing."

"[President Schill] testified that he had personally witnessed antisemitism on campus before and after Oct. 7, yet he admitted that no student has been disciplined for violating the university’s codes of conduct."

“The House will not support federal funds being used to indoctrinate students into hateful, antisemitic , anti-American supporters of terrorism.”

“In a new low, Steven Thrasher, whose title at Medill is ‘chair of social justice in reporting,’ shockingly told students at the encampment that ‘our work is not about objectivity.’"

“We might actually save a generation of Americans from accidentally walking into a terrorist cult.”

“Several of the House’s most powerful committees will now join the investigation to determine if the 10 schools should have their federal funding slashed for violating Jewish students' civil rights.”

"Through his short tenure of less than two-years, concerns regarding antisemitism, discrimination, racism and xenophobia have been repeatedly raised. Schill has neither enforced Northwestern’s Code of Conduct, nor proposed any credible solution to address these issues."

"This call comes in response to the controversial April 29, 2024 agreement between President Schill, Chair Barris, and pro-terror encampment leaders, whose protest has been critically compared by Congress to past Ku Klux Klan (KKK) rallies."

"[I]n 2013 it was announced that there would be 'collaboration and knowledge transfer' between Al Jazeera — which U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has condemned as being 'full of anti-Israel incitement' — and Northwestern University in Qatar."

"The encampments were illegal and protesters’ conduct included multiple violations of university policy as Mr. Schill defined it during the hearing."

"Highland Park resident Lily Cohen, a Northwestern University student, expressed frustration that students who displayed violent, antisemitic slogans and images in prominent places on campus faced no consequences and 'got some of their demands met.'”

"Northwestern is among 13 schools that received failing grades on a recent ADL report card for what the group described as failures to protect Jewish students from antisemitism. Studies show that antisemitism has risen markedly on campuses since Oct. 7."

"Rep. Elise Stefanik slammed Schill for not taking action over allegations that a person told a Jewish student at the school to 'go back to Germany and get gassed.'"

"Northwestern received the most attention, as it was one of the first schools to come to such an agreement, but President Michael Schill said the school did not cave to any major demands."

“I’m not going to engage in yes or no.” - President Schill's response to questions about NU partnering "with a government that harbors terrorist Hamas and Iranian operatives who fund terrorists."

"The most concerning aspect of the encampment was not the antisemitism that came with it, though that was deeply troubling. It was that at such a prestigious and elite university, the protest fell short of embracing complexity, discourse and intellectual thought — and ultimately failed to advocate for peace."

May 22, 2024: According to a Northwestern U ultimate frisbee team member, Coach Wu told him, "that she respected him as a Frisbee player, but that his pro-Israel attitude was wrong, and that it could be an obstacle in the future as he sought to make friends and get a job."

May 22, 2024 ""The oil-rich Gulf state, which has sheltered senior Hamas leaders even after the terrorist organization’s October 7 attack against Israel, has donated nearly $690 million to Northwestern since 2007, a new report from nonprofit watchdog Open the Books shows.”

May 17, 2024 "Federal civil rights complaints and legal filings detail how Jewish students were assaulted, badgered, intimidated, threatened and spat on. That harassment did not end once a resolution had been reached and continues today."

“In some ways I don’t fault The Daily – I fault Northwestern for employing professors like Steven Thrasher who has repeatedly reiterated the message to Medill students that “our work is not about objectivity,” Thrasher most recently stating this during the encampment as a faculty organizer. The hypocrisy and irony that this is the message coming from one of the top journalism schools in the world is pretty high. It degrades the integrity of journalism and fuels the pervasive bias we see today, and will unfortunately likely see from the next generation of journalists if this continues.”

May 14, 2024 "What is happening at Northwestern is much greater than grievances surrounding a week of tents and protest tactics. This is a reflection on poor university leadership that could have and should have prevented this situation in the first place."

May 13, 2024 "[A] report, compiled by alumni affiliated with the Coalition Against Anti-Semitism at Northwestern (CAAN) including the author Scott Shay, says that Northwestern’s relationship with Al Jazeera potentially violates U.S. law and national security interests under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, arguing the partnership should end."

May 13, 2024 "More than a dozen Northwestern University students banded together to put 1,200 Israeli and American flags steps away from the former pro-Palestinian encampment. When they returned several hours later, they found them in ruins, stained with red paint."

May 11, 2024 "The resolution also blasted Northwestern for creating an Advisory Committee on Preventing Antisemitism and a Committee on Free Expression aimed at addressing anti-Semitism on campus, the Free Beacon reported."

May 10, 2024 "The unlawful pro-terror encampment, dubbed the ‘Northwestern Liberated Zone,’ disrupted campus life and became a hotspot for pervasive antisemitic harassment and hostility. Rather than enforcing University rules and disciplining those who violated them, Northwestern’s leaders surrendered to the violators in a shameful agreement. … President Schill failed to consult his own President’s Advisory Committee on Preventing Antisemitism and Hate on his decision to enter the agreement.”

May 10, 2024

May 10, 2024, Violence, vandalism on US campuses is 'absolutely disgusting': Rep. Virginia Foxx

May 9, 2024 "At Northwestern, [Steven Thrasher] helped physically block police officers from entering the so-called encampment that the university said violated campus policy." Northwestern University journalism professor Thrasher tells Medill students, "our work is not about objectivity."

May 9, 2024 "Northwestern University administration officials and faculty members signed a resolution demanding that the school cut ties with Israel, calling the Jewish country a 'terror' state and accusing it of 'one of the most atrocious and monstrous sieges in modern history.' The resolution—which also defended the eliminationist slogan 'From the River to the Sea' and criticized the administration for creating a task force to combat anti-Semitism—was signed by over 1,000 students, alumni, and faculty members, as well as officials from Northwestern's admissions and civil rights compliance offices.

May 6, 2024 "It is wrong morally and legally to capitulate to highly objectionable student demands. It also sends a message to current and future students that if they engage in civil discord they will be rewarded for doing so. At that point, the purpose of the university—the pursuit of truth—collapses."

May 8, 2024 "If a committee intended to prevent antisemitism and hate not only fails to prevent but also fails to agree to call out antisemitism, I have no faith left in its ability to serve Jewish students."

May 8, 2024 "[W]hen people chant slogans like “liberate Palestine” and “from the river to the sea,” they are essentially calling for the erasure of the state of Israel, not a two-state solution. They are arguing that the Jewish people have no right to self-determination or self-defense."

May 8, 2024 "[T]here were signs that read: “Free Palestine from the River to the Sea,” an antisemitic phrase that demands the destruction of Israel."

May 8, 2024 "At Northwestern, campus officials agreed that protesters could continue to monopolize Deering Meadow, two acres of campus green space, until June 1."

May 6, 2024 "The agreement sets a dangerous precedent: If you are loud enough, disruptive enough and create a hostile enough environment for your classmates, your blatant violations of University policy will be met not with discipline but with reward."

May 6, 2024 "Northwestern University's president will testify in Washington, D.C. on addressing antisemitism at the school, a spokesman said Monday."

May 2, 2024 “The encampment is still there, the tents are not there, but the chants are still there. Jewish students tell me they are afraid to walk by the encampment. Jewish students do not go to the library because they have to cross the encampment, even now”.

"The group also put its support behind the trustees who chose to resign from the Presidents’ Advisory Committee on Preventing Antisemitism and Hate after leadership failed to act."

May 2, 2024 "Worse than the university’s capitulation may be the substance of the agreement itself ... Legal or not, this provision reinforces Northwestern’s commitment to identity politics."

May 2, 2024 "A sign found near the encampment depicted a Star of David with a red line crossing through it. Another sign depicted University President Michael Schill with devil horns, a historically antisemitic trope that harkens back to medieval-era “blood libel” accusations against Jewish people."

May 2, 2024 "The lawsuit alleged participants in the protest were seen 'openly glorifying' Hamas."

May 2, 2024 "The President’s Advisory Committee on Preventing Antisemitism and Hate will cease its work following the Wednesday resignations of seven committee members ... They cited Schill’s decision not to consult the committee on the agreement reached Monday between administrators and the organizers of the pro-Palestinian encampment on Deering Meadow as a reason for their decision."

May 2, 2024 "Alumni and students' parents have accused Northwestern administrators of failing to combat anti-Semitism at the school, where anti-Israel protesters recently set up a protest encampment in violation of the campus’s anti-trespassing policies."

May 1, 2024 “That’s not negotiation; it’s successful blackmail. Students for Justice in Palestine will encourage more of the same from protesters on other campuses if university leaders won’t enforce their own rules.”

May 1, 2024 “[R]ather than enforce school policy, “Northwestern twisted itself into a pretzel to accommodate” the encampment, the complaint alleges. […] While Northwestern’s encampment was met with some counter-protests, it has seen no arrests, citations or suspensions. This was not the case on campuses across the country.”

May 1, 2024 "In a letter to Northwestern President Michael H. Schill, the members said, 'We are unable to continue to serve Northwestern University as members of the President's Advisory Committee on Preventing Antisemitism and Hate at this crucial moment with antisemitism so present at Northwestern in public view for the past week.'"

May 1, 2024 "In order to avoid exhibiting real leadership by enforcing its own recently amended policies, Northwestern succumbed to the demands of a mob, which has intimidated Jewish students, espoused antisemitic, hate-filled speech, and whose members have celebrated Hamas terrorists.'”

May 1, 2024

May 1, 2024 "'It is essential that the University develop appropriate and timely recommendations to address and prevent antisemitism and hate,' the letter read. 'However, in light of the University leadership’s decision not to utilize the committee for its stated purpose, we can no longer continue to serve in this role.'"

April 30, 2024 "Thrasher, and far too many in prominent positions in journalism, have long rejected the traditional goal of reporting unbiased facts."

April 30, 2024

April 29, 2024 "While Northwestern University said ... it had reached an agreement with pro-Palestinian demonstrators, other students explained they’re concerned about antisemitism and bringing their message to Washington, D.C."

April 29, 2024"The university warned that any demonstrators who refuse to comply with this agreement will face disciplinary action, including 'the suspension of non-compliant students and a requirement that non-affiliated individuals leave campus.'"

April 29, 2024 "While Northwestern University said ... it had reached an agreement with pro-Palestinian demonstrators, other students explained they’re concerned about antisemitism and bringing their message to Washington, D.C."

April 28, 2024 “'From the river to the sea' is an expression founded by an organization, Hamas, that the U.S., the European Union and other Western countries call a terrorist organization. The origins of “from the river to the sea” are antisemitic. Its continued use is antisemitic."

March 15, 2024 "These chartered university organizations — one made up of faculty and staff members — have celebrated Hamas terrorism without a response from the university, save for a November 13 letter from president Michael Schill asking members of the Northwestern community to avoid use of the slogan “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” given its connotations of ethnic cleansing."

March 4, 2024

March 1, 2024

January 26, 2024

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