Campus Reform: House committee presses DePaul, Haverford, Cal Poly in anti-Semitism probe

House Committee on Education and the Workforce Chairman Tim Walberg escalated a congressional investigation into anti-Semitism on campus by issuing follow-up letters to three universities on Thursday seeking further details on how each has addressed anti-Semitic incidents.

The letters, sent to DePaul University, Haverford College, and California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly), stem from a May 7 hearingtitled “Beyond the Ivy League: Stopping the Spread of Antisemitism on American Campuses.”

“For the past few years, our Committee has played a critical role in both uncovering the rampant antisemitism on college campuses and holding administrators accountable,” Walberg said during the hearing.

In his letter to Haverford President Wendy Raymond, Walberg criticized the college for failing to provide disciplinary data related to anti-Semitic incidents.

“Your lack of transparency about how, if at all, Haverford has responded to antisemitic incidents on its campus was very disappointing,” Walberg wrote. He added that Haverford failed to share even aggregate data on faculty or student disciplinary actions and requested further clarification about policies and enforcement.

The letter to DePaul University President Robert Manuel addressed an Instagram post by the school’s chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine, which compared Israel to the Nazi regime. Walberg asked whether DePaul conducted a hearing on the post and whether any disciplinary action was taken.

At California Polytechnic State University, Walberg inquired about vandalism incidents on June 6, when students reportedly painted “Free Palestine” and “Cal Poly Divest” messages on campus buildings. 

His letter to President Jeffrey Armstrong sought details on disciplinary proceedings and administrative responses.

The letters are part of a broader investigation by Congress into campus anti-Semitism. 

The committee has already launched inquiries into institutions including Bowdoin College, Sarah Lawrence College, Georgetown University, and the University of California, Berkeley. 

The presidents of CUNY, Georgetown, and UC Berkeley are scheduled to testify before the committee on July 9.

A spokesperson for Cal Poly told Campus Reform that the university “remains committed to addressing antisemitism and ensuring the entire Cal Poly community feels safe and secure so all can thrive.”