Sherrill Calls on New Jersey Institutions of Higher Education to Combat Antisemitism on Campus
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) wrote to the leadership of every higher education institution in New Jersey seeking answers and concrete plans to address the concerning rise in antisemitism on college campuses. Sherrill’s inquiry comes as universities have seen rising incidents of antisemitism and after a Congressional hearing last week where presidents of Harvard University, University of Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology failed to adequately answer questions about the steps they are taking to address antisemitism and protect students from violent rhetoric on their respective campuses.
“I share university leaders’ deep commitment to the freedoms of speech and assembly for their students, and I understand that there are multiple factors that inform university policies regarding speech and expression on campus. However, on this issue, there is very little ambiguity: Antisemitism is hatred, without exception; threats of genocide against Jews are violent, no matter the context; and it was disturbing to see these leaders equivocate on their responses,” wrote Rep. Sherrill.
Sherrill is a member of the House Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism and has worked to pass the Never Again Education Act, pushed for more funding for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, and has held roundtables with New Jersey rabbis and thought leaders on how we can work to combat the rise in antisemitism. Following the attack on October 7, Sherrill voted for a resolution to stand with Israel in defending itself against Hamas, voted on a resolution to condemn antisemitism on college campuses, voted for a resolution calling for the release of the hostages held by Hamas, and voted for a resolution reaffirming Israel’s right to exist. She has remained in close contact with the Jewish community in NJ-11 and across New Jersey.
The letter can be found here and below:
To the Leaders of New Jersey’s Higher Education Institutions:
In the two months since the terrorist attack committed by Hamas on October 7, we have seen a dramatic increase in antisemitic incidents across the country. The problem is particularly acute on college campuses, where Jewish students report feeling targeted by faculty and their fellow students, being threatened verbally and physically by student activists, and harassed with hurtful antisemitic tropes.
Last week, your colleagues—the presidents of Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the University of Pennsylvania—testified before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. They were invited to discuss their efforts to confront antisemitism on their campuses.
These leaders had an excellent opportunity to make clear that our nation’s higher education institutions do not tolerate antisemitism or hatred of any kind, and to communicate their support for their students. Stunningly, they did not avail themselves of that opportunity. Instead, the presidents gave technical answers that were deeply disappointing and unsatisfactory, both from a policy perspective and from the perspectives of many of the Jewish members of their communities.
The issues surrounding the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians are complex, nuanced, and fraught with emotion. I share university leaders’ deep commitment to the freedoms of speech and assembly for their students, and I understand that there are multiple factors that inform university policies regarding speech and expression on campus. However, on this issue, there is very little ambiguity: Antisemitism is hatred, without exception; threats of genocide against Jews are violent, no matter the context; and it was disturbing to see these leaders equivocate on their responses.
College is, and should be, a place of fierce and spirited exchanges of ideas. It should be a place where worldviews are informed, good citizens are shaped, and students learn to engage with those with whom they disagree. It should not—must not—be a place where students are afraid to be themselves for fear of harassment, where they are targeted for their ethnicity, their gender, or their religion, and it must not be a place where the free exchange of ideas is crushed by the loudest voice in the room. Hate speech of any stripe has no place at our universities. It is not only possible but imperative for leaders like you to promote the intellectual and ideological development of their students, while also ensuring their students’ safety.
As the leaders of New Jersey’s institutions of higher education, you have an awesome responsibility. You are creating the leaders of the future, the individuals who will shape our country in the years to come. At a time like this, when Jewish students and Muslim students alike are afraid for their safety, it is more important than ever that you stand up with the strong message—hatred has no place on a college campus.
As a member of Congress, I hear daily from parents who are concerned about the wellbeing of their college-age children. As a mother of a soon-to-be college freshman, I share their concerns. So I ask you: What is your institution doing to ensure your students are free from harassment and bullying on campus? How do you ensure hate speech does not dissuade free speech in your public squares? And how do you ensure a free exchange of ideas without sowing division?
I stand ready to work with you in any way I can, to ensure that New Jersey’s universities reflect New Jersey’s values—to reject hatred, promote diversity and inclusion, and stand with our friends, neighbors, and loved ones during this challenging time.
Mikie Sherrill
Member of Congress
cc: New Jersey Higher Education Institutions
Atlantic Cape Community College
Bergen Community College
Brookdale Community College
Caldwell University
Camden County College
Centenary University
The College of New Jersey
County College of Morris
Cumberland County College
Drew University
Essex County College
Fairleigh Dickinson University
Felician University
Georgian Court University
Hudson County Community College
Kean University
Mercer County Community College
Middlesex County College
Monmouth University
Montclair State University
New Jersey City University
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Ocean County College
Passaic County Community College
Princeton University
Ramapo College of New Jersey
Raritan Valley Community College
Rider University
Rowan College at Burlington County
Rowan College of South Jersey
Rowan University
Rutgers University
Saint Elizabeth University
Salem Community College
Seton Hall University
St. Peter’s University
Stevens Institute of Technology
Stockton University
Sussex County Community College
Thomas Edison State University
Union County College
Warren County Community College
William Paterson University
###