May 23, 2024
By Zachary Leeman
Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) got into a heated exchange with Northwestern University President Michael Schill at a Thursday hearing focused on pro-Palestinian protests about reports of anti-semitism at college campuses.
Stefanik first brought up a report card from the Ant-Defamation League (ADL) which slapped Northwestern with an “F” grade on its handling of reports of anti-semitism amid encampment protests.
“Isn’t it true that a Jewish Northwestern student was assaulted?” Sefanik asked Schill.
“I want to question the premise of your question —” he began before the New York lawmaker jumped back in.
“No, no, no! I’m asking the questions, you’re answering!” she said.
After some back and forth, Schill said there was an allegation of assault being investigated.
“There are allegations that a Jewish student was assaulted. We are investigating those allegations,” he said.
Stefanik continued running down other recent allegations that have yet to be confirmed, including a Jewish student being “verbally harassed and stalked.”
“There are allegations of that sort, and we are investigating them,” Schill answered.
Stefanik next asked about a Jewish student allegedly being spat on, to which Schill echoed his earlier answers, saying, “All of these are allegations that are being investigated.”
Stefanik blasted Schill for taking too long with the investigations and noted there had thus far been no suspensions or expulsions. The lawmaker also ripped into an agreement the school made with encampment protesters, which Schill admitted some board of trustee members have “expressed dissatisfaction” with.
The agreement included permitting further demonstrations, bringing in visiting Palestinian faculty members, and more in exchange for the encampment coming down voluntarily.
“This why you earned an F!” Stefanik said, holding up a paper with a large red “F” on it.
Stefanik also claimed “whistleblowers” had accused Schill of wanting to hire an “anti-Zionist head of Hillel,” something Schill, who is Jewish, vehemently denied.
“I did not. I absolutely did not,” he said. “I would never hire anyone based upon their views of being Zionist or anti-Zionist.”
