Trump Threatens to Revoke Universities’ Accreditation If They Don’t Address Antisemitism
President-elect Donald Trump threatened to revoke accreditation for colleges and universities if they fail to adequately handle antisemitism on their campuses.
Campus Reform reported on Nov. 15 that Trump said during a September rally in Washington, D.C.: “Here is what I will do to defeat antisemitism and defend our Jewish citizens in America: My first week back in the Oval Office, my administration will inform every college president that if you do not end antisemitic propaganda they will lose their accreditation and federal taxpayer support… next, I will inform every educational institution in our land that if they permit violence, harassment, or threats against Jewish students, the schools will be held accountable for violations of the civil rights law. Jewish Americans must have equal protection under the law. They’re going to get it.”
UMich Student President, VP Impeached Over Actions Related to Anti-Israel Measure
The University of Michigan Central Student Government (CSG) voted to impeach the student president, Alifa Chowdhury, and vice president, Elias Atkinson, during a Nov. 13 meeting.
According to The Michigan Daily, the vote was 30-7, with one abstention. The articles of impeachment alleged that Chowdhury incited violence when she posted on the “SHUT IT DOWN” Instagram account to “pack CSG” to vote on a measure in October that would have sent $440,000 to a West Bank university with reported ties to terrorism. As previously reported in Campus Watch, anti-Israel protesters became confrontational after the measure failed. Atkinson also faced impeachment charges of incitement to violence over the matter. Additionally, Chowdhury was impeached over allegedly engaging in cybertheft by changing the password to the CSG Instagram account and issuing a post expressing frustration that the measure didn’t pass.
The impeachment articles are now in the hands of the Central Student Judiciary; if they uphold the impeachment, then the speaker of the assembly will become the new student president.
UVA Jewish Student Alleges Roommate Brandished Gun At Him
A Jewish student at the University of Virginia (UVA) is alleging that his roommate brandished a gun at him after tormenting the Jewish student antisemitic remarks.
The Daily Progress reported that 20-year-old Robert Romer, who is also a UVA student, allegedly texted a house group chat on Oct. 23: “At approximately 12:30, I am going to free Palestine. Anyone is welcome to join in the beating.” Romer also allegedly put Stars of David around the Jewish student’s name and posted a meme featuring “a picture of American President Andrew Jackson captioned ‘Battle of 1820’ atop another picture depicting orthodox Jews fighting police under the caption ‘Battle of $18.20,’” per The Daily Progress. Additionally, the Jewish student claimed that Romer tried to fight him on multiple occasions and brandished a gun at him when he returned to his bedroom.
Romer was arrested on Nov. 1 over the allegations and subsequently released on $5,000 bail. His father maintained that his son is innocent, telling The Daily Progress that “a thorough review of the events will show that there was no hate, no assault and no brandishing. Robert looks forward to proving his innocence and sharing the full story in court and the media thereafter.”
University of Rochester Says They’ve Identified Five Persons of Interest Over Antisemitic “Wanted” Posters
The University of Rochester announced on Nov. 15 that they have identified five persons of interest regarding the posting of hundreds of “wanted” posters targeting various Jewish faculty members.
The posters had accused the faculty members of “ethnic cleansing,” displacing the Palestinians and engaging in “hate speech,” among other things. University President Sarah Mangelsdorf said in a Nov. 12 statement that “several of those depicted appear to have been targeted because they are members of our Jewish community. We view this as antisemitism, which will not be tolerated at our University.” A Nov. 15 statement from Associate Vice President of Public Safety Quchee Collins said that “no formal charges have been filed at this time” and implored that “media outlets and others to cease republishing the identifying information of individuals who appeared on the posters, as this can contribute to ongoing harassment of community members.”
UPDATE: After press time, the university announced that four students have been arrested on charges of criminal mischief over the posters.
Anti-Israel Activists Vandalize UW President’s Home. Car
Anti-Israel activists vandalized University of Washington President Ana Mari Cauce’s home and car on Nov. 14 with anti-Israel messages that included “Free Palestine,” “blood on your hands” and the inverted red triangle associated with Hamas.
Campus Reform reported that the group “Escalate Seattle” posted a video of the activists vandalizing the home and car; Escalate Seattle stated in their post: “This morning, Ana Mari woke up at her residential home in Lake City to red paint splattered on her front door and a message on her car, declaring ‘Ana Mari Funds Genocide.’” Escalate Seattle added that they “will continue to escalate” until the university divests from Israel. A university spokesman told Campus Reform that the activists “did significant damage to President Cauce’s home and car” and that “multiple law enforcement agencies are investigating due to the nature of the threats in the vandalism and in the perpetrators’ social media posts claiming credit.”
