Harvard University, which referred 68 students for discipline for conduct they exhibited as members of an anti-Israel encampment, has failed to suspend even one of the students and left most of them in good standing, according to a House Committee on Education and the Workforce report.
“Harvard has failed to impose meaningful discipline on antisemitic students who engaged in conduct in violation of University rules,” the committee stated. Fifty-two of the 68 student encampment participants referred for discipline are in good standing, the report stated, with 15 on probation and one on leave.
Roughly two weeks ago, The Dean of Students Office at Harvard restored the Harvard Undergraduate Palestine Solidarity Committee’s full privileges after the group had been suspended for five months for violating Harvard’s protest guidelines. “As a recognized student group, the PSC will be able to access Harvard mailing lists, reserve certain rooms and spaces across the University, and apply for funding through the Harvard Undergraduate Association,” The Harvard Crimson reported.
One student who raised a Palestinian flag over University Hall “was initially informed he would receive a three-semester suspension. Thereafter, however, the consequential three-semester suspension was downgraded to mere probation until December 20, 2024,” the committee report noted.
“Four other encampment participants were first required to withdraw for two terms but will now be off probation in less than a month, according to the committee,” The Washington Free Beacon reported, adding, “Though the school referred 12 students for discipline over anti-Semitic incidents during that period, none of them ‘received any formal discipline and all remain in good standing.’”
Am I Racist? Is In Theaters NOW — Get Your Tickets Here!
“As these examples demonstrate, Harvard investigated and documented student violations of its policies, some of which were deemed to warrant semesters-long suspensions, but ultimately failed to enforce its own rules and impose meaningful discipline,” the committee stated. “Imposing such discipline would have been consistent with the Harvard Corporation’s pronouncement that ‘calls for violence’ and academic disruptions would ‘not be tolerated.’ The records, however, reveal that Harvard failed to fulfill this commitment and has permitted students to engage in such conduct with no real consequences.”
“By doing so, the House Committee on Education and the Workforce believes Harvard is in violation of Title VI,” the committee concluded.
Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), chairwoman of the committee, declared, “Harvard failed, end of story. The only thing administrators accomplished is appeasing radical students who have almost certainly returned to campus emboldened and ready to repeat the spring semester’s chaos. Harvard must change course immediately.”
