March 6 (UPI) — The head of the House Education and Workforce Committee criticized Harvard for failing to abide by subpoenas related to an investigation into anti-Semitism on its campus.
Chairwoman Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., on Tuesday said many of the 2,500 pages of documents submitted to the committee were duplicates of documents it already submitted, and that heavy redactions throughout “made several documents useless.”
“I don’t know if its arrogance, ineptness, or indifference that’s guiding Harvard,” Foxx said. “Regardless, its actions to date are shameful. Just last week Congress heard devasting and awful first-hand accounts of rampant anti-Semitism on college campuses — including at Harvard. Despite this, Harvard has absolutely failed to comply in good faith with the Committee’s subpoena for information about anti-Semitism on campus.”
Foxx added the committee was “weighing an appropriate response to Harvard’s malfeasance.”
Harvard said on Tuesday, though, that it has complied and will continue to comply with the information the committee needs, saying it had produced more than 1,500 documents, including a plan outlining its efforts to combat anti-Semitism.
“Harvard continues to respond in good faith to the House Education and Workforce Committee’s inquiry into efforts to combat anti-Semitism,” a Harvard spokesperson told The Hill. “With an additional submission today, Harvard has provided nearly 4,900 pages of information in 11 submissions since January, including non-public information and internal communications, along with public information, the committee requested Harvard to compile.”
The university said it had increased the number of security personnel on campus, especially in areas where Jewish students frequently gather and clarified policies about when protests are permitted.
“Harvard denounced anti-Semitism on our campus and have made clear that the university will continue to take actions to combat anti-Semitism in any form,” a spokesperson said. “This includes ongoing efforts to engage with and learn from students, faculty and staff to identify the causes of anti-Semitic behaviors and address them when they occur on our campus.”
Foxx accused Harvard in February of being “engulfed” with anti-Semitism on campus, which is harming Jewish students. She called Harvard’s documents turned over as lacking in quality and already public information.
