Washington, D.C. - In case you missed it, today, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, a senior member of the Education and the Workforce Committee, questioned Northwestern University President Michael Schill about failing to protect Jewish students, caving to the demands of the antisemitic, pro-Hamas mob on Northwestern’s campus, and failing to hold students who perpetuate antisemitic attacks accountable at an Education and the Workforce Committee hearing.
Watch her line of questioning here.
Read a full transcript of her line of questioning below:
Congresswoman Stefanik: President Schill, the ADL released its report card for universities’ responses to antisemitism and you’re aware that Northwestern was the only university whose grade was downgraded, correct?
Northwestern President Michael Schill: Yes, I am aware of that.
Congresswoman Stefanik: And isn’t it also true that the Northwestern earned an ‘F’ for your failure to respond and combat antisemitism and they called for your resignation, is that correct?
Northwestern President Michael Schill: I have great respect for the ADL.
Congresswoman Stefanik: I’m not asking about your respect for the ADL, I’m asking is it a fact that you earned an ‘F’ and they called for your resignation?
Northwestern President Michael Schill: I have great respect for the ADL. I am sad that they gave Northwestern an ‘F.’
Congresswoman Stefanik: But it’s true you got an ‘F.’ Yes. Moving on. Let me tell you why you earned an ‘F.’ I want to discuss what has been referred to as the Deering Meadows Agreement, your unilateral capitulation to the pro-Hamas, anti-Israel, antisemitic encampment. But let’s talk about what has occurred on this encampment. Isn’t it true that a Jewish Northwestern student was assaulted?
Northwestern President Michael Schill: So, I want to question the premise of your question.
Congresswoman Stefanik: No, no, no, no. I’m asking the questions. You’re answering. Wasn’t it true…
Northwestern President Michael Schill: Well my answer is not a capitulation.
Congresswoman Stefanik: I’m asking the question. You’re required to answer. Isn’t it true that a Jewish Northwestern student was assaulted?
Northwestern President Michael Schill: There are allegations that a Jewish student was assaulted. We are investigating those allegations.
Congresswoman Stefanik: Isn’t it true that a Jewish student was verbally harassed and stalked to Hillel?
Northwestern President Michael Schill: There are allegations of that sort and we are investigating them.
Congresswoman Stefanik: Isn’t it true that a Jewish student wearing a yarmulke was spat on?
Northwestern President Michael Schill: All of these are allegations that are being investigated.
Congresswoman Stefanik: How long are these investigations going to occur?
Northwestern President Michael Schill: Well, if you remember the encampment was up just a few weeks ago so we believe at Northwestern in due process. We believe in investigations.
Congresswoman Stefanik: So, when are the investigations going to be finalized?
Northwestern President Michael Schill: I’m not gonna be able to tell you that they’ll be finalized when the Conduct Office and the Title VI Office, which are well on this issue–
Congresswoman Stefanik: This is why you’ve learned an ‘F.’ Isn’t it true that a Jewish student was told to “go back to Germany and get gassed?”
Northwestern President Michael Schill: I’ve heard that alleged. Again, it is being investigated. We will investigate any claim of discrimination.
Congresswoman Stefanik: But it is a fact you said that there have been zero suspensions, zero expulsions.
Northwestern President Michael Schill: Thus far. With lots of investigations on their way.
Congresswoman Stefanik: You said something that was very important. You said we did not give into demands but the commitments we made as part of the Deering Meadows Agreement, you said the word ‘commitments.’ Let me talk about those commitments. One of those commitments was funding two visiting Palestinian faculty for two years. Is that true?
Northwestern President Michael Schill: This is part of a program that we have had. We have used it with Afghanistan, Ukraine, it’s for war-torn countries.
Congresswoman Stefanik: But isn’t it true? I’m asking you. Okay. The other one is you will fund the full cost for five Palestinian undergrads.
Northwestern President Michael Schill: That is also part of the programs sponsored by our Buffett Institute. It is not a new program. It exists for people whose education and research has been interrupted.
Congresswoman Stefanik: But it was announced as part of the Deering Meadows Agreement, is that correct?
Northwestern President Michael Schill: It was part of it. It was a goal set forth in the Deering Meadows Agreement. It will also include people from Israel.
Congresswoman Stefanik: Who was consulted when you embarked on the Deering Meadows Agreement? Was the President’s Advisory Committee on Preventing Antisemitism and Hate consulted?
Northwestern President Michael Schill: That was not within the purview of the antisemitism and other forms of hate committee.
Congresswoman Stefanik: So, they were not consulted. Was Northwestern’s Board of Trustees consulted?
Northwestern President Michael Schill: The Chair of our Board was consulted.
Congresswoman Stefanik: But not the entire Board of Trustees?
Northwestern President Michael Schill: Our Board of Trustees has over 120 members.
Congresswoman Stefanik: And isn’t it a fact that members of the Board of Trustees expressed dissatisfaction with your failure to consult them?
Northwestern President Michael Schill: There’s been some members of our Board of Trustees who have expressed dissatisfaction that they were not part of the decision making.
Congresswoman Stefanik: Did you consult with the General Counsel of Northwestern or an outside counsel on the Deering Meadows Agreement before it was agreed to?
Northwestern President Michael Schill: Yes.
Congresswoman Stefanik: Are you aware that board members asked you this question and you said that you had not consulted?
Northwestern President Michael Schill: Not the outside council. The General Counsel of the university was part of my team managing this problem.
Congresswoman Stefanik: Did you consult with two members of the advisory committee that I referenced previously, the anti-Israel professor, Jessica Winegar, and the Kellogg Professor, Nour Kteily. Were they consulted on the Deering Meadows Agreement?
Northwestern President Michael Schill: I consulted with several members, including them, but also including the Hillel Director and also including the Chair of the Committee.
Congresswoman Stefanik: Let’s talk about the Hillel Director consultation. Isn’t it true that you asked the Hillel Director whether it was possible to hire an anti-Zionist, head of Hillel, Rabbi?
Northwestern President Michael Schill: I did not. I absolutely did not. I would never hire anyone based upon their views of being Zionist or anti-Zionist. That is not what I do. That’s not what a great university does.
Congresswoman Stefanik: That’s not according to the whistleblowers that have come forward to this committee.
Northwestern President Michael Schill: I can’t say who has talked to you or not talked to you but I can tell you the truth.
Congresswoman Stefanik: I can assure you many people have spoken to this committee.
…
Congresswoman Stefanik: President Schill, you talked about, you said there’s been a wide range of discipline after testifying there have been zero suspensions, zero expulsions, and you said ‘discipline has been meted out.’ How has discipline been meted out?
Northwestern President Michael Schill: Discipline has run the gambit. That is the discipline that’s already completed, run the gambit from meetings with student affairs staff at the very lowest level of severity up to disciplinary probation, which means there is another offense students will be expelled or suspended.
Congresswoman Stefanik: And you testified when I asked about the Deering Meadows Agreement with the visiting Palestinian faculty members, isn’t it true that the university committed to fundraise above and beyond its current commitment as part of the Deering Meadows Agreement?
Northwestern President Michael Schill: I did not commit. I don’t know who told you that.
Congresswoman Stefanik: I’m reading it from the statement put out by the university that says, “The university commits to fundraise to sustain this program beyond this current commitment.” I’m reading your words put out by your office.
Northwestern President Michael Schill: That is a program that is not just about the Middle East. That is a program that is about war, war-torn areas all across this world. Ukraine for example.
Congresswoman Stefanik: But isn’t it a fact that that was part of the agreement to increase the commitment to that.
Northwestern President Michael Schill: I don’t think the agreement increased the commitment.
Congresswoman Stefanik: It did. I’m reading it for you. You put this out from your office, “The University commits to fundraise to sustain this program beyond this current commitment.” Is that no longer part of the Deering Meadows Agreement?
Northwestern President Michael Schill: When I hear beyond this commitment…
Congresswoman Stefanik: I’m reading what your office put out.
Northwestern President Michael Schill: Are you asking me to interpret what my office put out? Or are you just reading it?
Congresswoman Stefanik: No, I’m asking you, isn't that the fact? What does ‘beyond this current commitment’ mean?
Northwestern President Michael Schill: What I read that to be is beyond this current commitment, the rest of the world, and over time.
Congresswoman Stefanik: That’s not…it’s specifically focused on the Palestinian faculty members. Let me ask you this…
Northwestern President Michael Schill: But we’re also going to be including Israeli faculty members.
Congresswoman Stefanik: It doesn’t say that in commitment. Why didn’t you include Israeli faculty members when you put out the Deering Meadows Agreement?
Northwestern President Michael Schill: Because the Deering Meadows Agreement, which I actually never called it that, but the Deering Meadows Agreement was just a framework of an agreement that was reached with students at 4 o’clock in the morning.
Congresswoman Stefanik: At the pro-Hamas encampment.
Northwestern President Michael Schill: If you would like to see the entire program, go on our website and that will explain it to you and you will see it doesn’t violate Title XI.
Congresswoman Stefanik: No, I’m asking you about what the university put out. There is no mention of Israeli students or Israeli faculty, isn’t that the case?
Northwestern President Michael Schill: In the agreement that we reached, there wasn’t Israeli students there or Jewish students there.
Congresswoman Stefanik: Because they weren’t consulted. Isn’t that the fact? Jewish students were not consulted.
Northwestern President Michael Schill: Jewish and Israel students were not consulted with respect to the agreement.
Congresswoman Stefanik: Exactly.
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