House Education Committee makes first Harvard records request amid antisemitism probe

The House Education Committee sent a letter to Harvard University on Tuesday requesting a plethora of documents relating to the panel’s investigation into antisemitic activity on campus.  

Committee Chair Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) gave the university two weeks to produce records going back as far as 2021 to assess how the school is handling antisemitism.  

The documents include reports of antisemitic activity, information about antisemitism given to the Harvard Corporation and Board of Overseers, the minutes for the two board’s meetings, documents that show actions Harvard has taken against students or faculty who were antisemitic and documents that show if students or faculty have tried to be involved in the “boycott, divestment and sanctions” movement.  

“As you are aware, the Committee on Education and the Workforce (the Committee) is investigating Harvard University’s response to antisemitism and its failure to protect Jewish students. We have grave concerns regarding the inadequacy of Harvard’s response to the antisemitism on its campus,” Foxx said in her letter to Harvard Corporation Senior Fellow Penny Pritzker and interim President Alan Garber. 

The House investigation into Harvard was announced after ex-President Claudine Gay, along with two other university heads, testified before Congress that it would depend on the context whether calls for the genocide of Jewish people would be considered harassment on campus.

Gay, who also faced allegations of plagiarism, resigned earlier this month.

Antisemitism on college campuses became a big topic after the Israel-Hamas war began in October, but the committee says it is asking for documents from further back because “there is evidence antisemitism has been pervasive at Harvard since well before the October 7, 2023, terrorist attack.”  

Reached for comment, a Harvard University spokesperson said the school “is reviewing Chairwoman Foxx’s letter and will be in touch with the Committee regarding their request.”