DePaul University President Robert Manuel has been called to testify before Congress about antisemitism on college campuses.
Manuel will join the presidents of Haverford College and California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo at the hearing before the U.S. House Committee on Education & the Workforce in Washington on May 7.
The Republican-led committee has titled the hearing: “Beyond the Ivy League: Stopping the Spread of Antisemitism on American Campuses.”
On Monday, U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg of Michigan, the committee chairperson, sent a letter to Manuel and the school’s board of trustees writing that DePaul may be violating federal civil rights laws if it isn’t addressing antisemitism.
In a statement, the university said Manuel “looks forward to having the conversation with our lawmakers and describing all that DePaul has done to confront antisemitism on campus.”
DePaul outlines its efforts against antisemitism on its website. “DePaul condemns all forms of hatred, including antisemitism,” the site states. “We are committed to ensuring DePaul is a safe and welcoming space for every member of our community.”
The letter comes days after a man appeared in court in Chicago on hate crime charges after allegedly attacking two Jewish students at DePaul’s Lincoln Park campus.
Adam Erkan, 20, is charged with two felony counts of a hate crime and aggravated battery causing great bodily harm in the Nov. 6 attack against Max Long and Michael Kaminsky. Long and Kaminsky filed a lawsuit against the university after the incident, alleging the school failed to protect them.
Long suffered a concussion, and Kaminsky fractured his wrist during the attack outside the DePaul student center in the 2200 block of North Sheffield Avenue, the complaint states. A DePaul Public Safety officer was also present but failed to intervene, the lawsuit alleges.
The attack occurred several months after pro-Palestinian students erected an encampment on DePaul’s campus, following a national trend that saw students call for an end to the Israeli bombardment of Gaza in the wake of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks in Israel.
Trump administration officials have singled out universities that it believes aren’t doing enough against antisemitism or aren’t aligned with the administration’s goals to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion.
The administration has attempted to pressure universities — such as Harvard and Northwestern — into compliance by threatening to withhold federal funding unless policies and academic programs are changed.
Federal officials are withholding $790 million in funding for Northwestern despite the school rolling out antisemitism measures and taking steps to comply with Trump’s executive orders against diversity, equity and inclusion.
Last week, students and faculty at Northwestern University protested against the administration’s campaign against higher education as part of a national day of action. Harvard has filed a lawsuit seeking to halt its funding freeze.