House Education Committee launches antisemitism investigation into Columbia University

House Education Committee Chair Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) is investigating Columbia University over its handling of antisemitism on campus, she informed the school in a Monday letter.

Foxx has said for weeks the committee would be expanding antisemitism probes against higher education that began in December with Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 

“The Committee on Education and the Workforce … is investigating Columbia University’s response to antisemitism and its failure to protect Jewish students. We have grave concerns regarding the inadequacy of Columbia’s response to antisemitism on its campus,” Foxx wrote to top university officials including President Minouche Shafik and trustees co-Chair David Greenwald.

Foxx says the school has had a concerning environment regarding antisemitism for more than two decades and listed incidents before and after the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks against Israel.  

“There have been numerous incidents of antisemitic assaults, harassment, and vandalism at Columbia,” Foxx said, also pointing to what she called antisemitic remarks from professors and faculty.  

The committee is giving the school two weeks to produce documents that include all antisemitic incidents since 2021, records showing disciplinary actions against students on the topic and information about club speakers and events that have been requested.  

“This request encompasses responsive materials in the possession of not only Columbia faculty, staff, students, and other affiliates but also individual members of the Columbia Board of Trustees. The request also extends to any informal communications such as texts or other electronic messages,” the letter concluded.  

The new investigation comes as Foxx recently threatened to subpoena Harvard for not handing over materials her panel has requested in its antisemitism probe.