House Calls for University of Pennsylvania to Provide Extensive Document Collection in Antisemitism Probe

A letter from a House committee has been sent to the University of Pennsylvania, demanding the school provide documents pertaining to an ongoing investigation into antisemitism on campus. Chairwoman of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, Rep. Virginia Foxx, is requiring UPenn to respond to the document request by February 7.

The committee is seeking a broad range of documents, including reports of antisemitic incidents on campus since early 2021, UPenn’s response to hate crimes, disciplinary actions taken against staff and students involved in alleged targeting of Jews, documents and financial information related to a Palestinian literature festival held on campus last year, and details on foreign donations, including those from Qatar.

In the letter addressed to Larry Jameson, UPenn’s interim president, and Ramanan Raghavendran, the chair of the board of trustees, Foxx expressed “grave concerns” about the university’s response to antisemitism on its campus.

The investigation into UPenn, along with Harvard University and MIT, was formally launched last month after leaders from these institutions provided disastrous testimony regarding antisemitism. Liz Magill, UPenn’s president at the time, resigned following her testimony, and Scott Bok, chair of the board of trustees, also stepped down.

The university has received the document request and stated that it “will respond after we complete a review of the request,” according to a UPenn spokesperson. Foxx criticized Harvard for an “unacceptable” response to the committee’s document request, raising the possibility of issuing a subpoena if the university does not comply.

This latest development underscores the increasing scrutiny universities face over their handling of antisemitism on campus. The demand for documents reflects the committee’s commitment to thoroughly investigating the matter, including examining incidents, responses, and financial aspects tied to events held on campus.

The investigation into UPenn is part of a broader effort by lawmakers to address and combat antisemitism at educational institutions. The outcomes of such investigations can have significant implications for university administrations and may lead to policy changes and increased awareness regarding antisemitism on campuses across the United States.