Rep. Foxx announces formal investigation into Harvard, UPenn, MIT– promises more to come for other universities

Foxx warned that other universities should expect to be faced with similar investigations.

Rep. Dr. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), Chairwoman of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, has announced a formal investigation into Harvard University, the University of Pennsylvania, and MIT. This comes after the presidents of all three universities refused to affirm that “calling for the genocide of Jews” is necessarily against the rules at their respective universities.

Each of the three university presidents refused to answer “yes,” after being asked multiple times whether “calling for the genocide of Jews” violates their own university policies. All three presidents repeatedly suggested that the answer to the question lies in the ‘context’ surrounding the call for genocide. Two suggested that the speech must turn “into conduct” in order to violate the rules. 

[RELATED: Here are the answsers Harvard, Penn, MIT presidents gave when asked if calls for genocide against Jews are against campus rules. (HINT: none of them are ‘yes’)]

“The testimony we received earlier this week from Presidents Gay, Magill, and Kornbluth about the responses of Harvard, UPenn, and MIT to the rampant antisemitism displayed on their campuses by students and faculty was absolutely unacceptable,” Dr. Foxx said in a Thursday statement.

Foxx noted that the committee members have “deep concerns” with the leadership of Harvard University President Claudine Gay, University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill, and MIT President Sally Kornbluth, citing their “failure to take steps to provide Jewish students the safe learning environment they are due under law.”

[RELATED: Wharton board calls on Penn prez Magill to resign after congressional testimony]

The representative accused the three presidents of both “institutional and personal failures.” The investigation will address the universities “learning environments,” as well as policies and disciplinary procedures.

Foxx warned that other universities should expect to be faced with similar investigations, “as their litany of similar failures has not gone unnoticed.”