WASHINGTON – Today, Education and the Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) sent a letter to Rutgers University President Jonathan Holloway, Rutgers Board of Governors Chair William E. Best, Rutgers University-Newark Chancellor Nancy Cantor, Rutgers University-Camden Chancellor Antonio D. Tillis, and Rutgers University-New Brunswick Chancellor Francine Conway requesting documents and information regarding Rutgers University’s response to numerous antisemitic incidents on its campuses and its failure to protect Jewish students, faculty, and staff.
In the letter, Foxx writes: “The Committee on Education and the Workforce (the Committee) is investigating Rutgers University’s response to antisemitism and its failure to protect Jewish students. I have grave concerns regarding the inadequacy of Rutgers’ response to antisemitism on its campuses. … Rutgers stands out for the intensity and pervasiveness of antisemitism on its campuses. Rutgers senior administrators, faculty, staff, academic departments and centers, and student organizations have contributed to the development of a pervasive climate of antisemitism.”
The letter continues: “In a February 29, 2024, Committee roundtable, Rutgers student Joe J. Gindi stated, ‘Jew-hatred has become rampant at Rutgers University. And it has become clear that some members of the school’s administration and faculty are complicit in allowing—and even in encouraging—this hate to grow’ and ‘at Rutgers University—like at many other campuses—there appears to be selective enforcement of [University] rules. They just don’t seem to apply when it comes to protecting Jewish students.’”
The letter details numerous incidents at Rutgers, including:
Sahar Aziz, Director of the Rutgers-Newark Center for Security, Race, and Rights (CSRR), and numerous CSRR fellows and faculty affiliates have records of virulent antisemitism and support for terrorism. The CSRR was founded in 2018 under Rutgers-Newark Chancellor Cantor, who recruited, funded, and bestowed tenure on Aziz.
The CSRR has held numerous events legitimizing and supporting terrorism, including an event marking the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks featuring speaker Sami Al-Arian, who was convicted of providing material support to the terrorist group Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
Rutgers Law School administrators anonymously opened disciplinary proceedings against Orthodox Jewish law student Yoel Ackerman for pushing back against antisemitic, pro-Hamas messages in a Student Bar Association group chat.
Rutgers Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) has engaged repeatedly in antisemitic harassment and disruptions of student life and learning at the university. Despite a history of violation of university rules, Rutgers SJP has received tens of thousands of dollars from Rutgers student government.
Foxx concludes by requesting information, which includes:
All reports of antisemitic acts or incidents and related documents and communications since January 1, 2021;
All documents containing Rutgers disciplinary, academic, personnel, administrative, or other processes through which allegations of hate crimes, discrimination, bias, or harassment are responded to, including but not limited to, any written policies, procedures, guidance, handbooks, rubrics, and/or tables of penalties;
Documents sufficient to show Rutgers policies and procedures that ensure and preserve access to safe and uninterrupted learning environments and respond to and address reported violations, including through law enforcement, investigative, and disciplinary processes; and
All documents and communications since January 1, 2021, referring or relating to antisemitism and/or Israel involving the Rutgers Board of Governors (including all members and/or officers).
