Chicago, May 23, 2024 ... ADL (the Anti-Defamation League) today reiterated its call for Northwestern University President Michael Schill to resign following his troubling testimony before Congress that was “rife with hypocrisy and platitudes.”
David Goldenberg, ADL Midwest Regional Director, issued the following statement:
"President Schill’s testimony today clarified his leadership imperils Jewish students and that he has failed at virtually every turn to take antisemitism on Northwestern University’s campus seriously. ADL Midwest renews its call for his immediate resignation.
"President Schill admitted in his opening statement that he was aware of the spike of antisemitism on campus before the encampment went up on April 25. He said he knew the encampment violated existing University rules and that encampment protestors engaged in antisemitism, including threats of violence against Jewish students. Yet he did nothing.
"President Schill testified the Deering Agreement was reached at 4am without sufficient consultation with Jewish students or leaders on campus because it was “impractical.” Yet he somehow had time to consult select members of the Board of Trustees, but not the whole Board, and with select members of the Advisory Committee on Preventing Antisemitism and Hate, including Jessica Winegar, a leading international proponent of the BDS movement. In other words, he only asked those he knew would not push back against his capitulation to rule breakers and the obvious dangers the agreement posed to the future of Jewish students on campus."
President Schill’s testimony was rife with hypocrisy and platitudes. We learned:
- He amended Northwestern’s codes of conduct specifically to address the encampment and admitted the encampment and antisemitism stemming from it were clear violations of University rules, yet he allowed the encampment to remain and refused to say if or when violators, including academic faculty, will be held accountable.
- He admitted he only appointed one expert on antisemitism to his Advisory Committee on Preventing Antisemitism and acted surprised it could not reach consensus on the definition of antisemitism. Now, he asks for the opportunity to form a task force to address antisemitism after failing so spectacularly the first time.
- He gloated about and took credit for a “peaceful” end to the encampment. Yet he allowed the encampment to remain and rewarded the protestors’ escalation. All the while, he refused to take other common-sense measures to keep non-students out of the encampment, stop academic faculty from cancelling or relocating class to the encampment, remove antisemitic posters and flags from university fencing, and eliminate amplified sound – all apparent violations of Northwestern’s existing rules.
- And President Schill claimed during testimony that he still does not know who was behind the encampment, yet he somehow reached an agreement with encampment leaders.
"President Schill’s retention in the face of these failures is likely to keep Jewish students in harm’s way and impede any possibility of meaningful dialogue on campus," said Goldenberg.
ADL is the leading anti-hate organization in the world. Founded in 1913, its timeless mission is “to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all.” Today, ADL continues to fight all forms of antisemitism and bias, using innovation and partnerships to drive impact. A global leader in combating antisemitism, countering extremism and battling bigotry wherever and whenever it happens, ADL works to protect democracy and ensure a just and inclusive society for all.