Cal Poly President Jeffrey Armstrong is set to testify before Congress on Wednesday alongside presidents of DePaul University and Haverford College. The U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce claims the three universities have failed to adequately protect Jewish communities on their campuses.
The committee cited two verbal incidents of alleged antisemitism at Cal Poly and three nonviolent instances at Haverford. DePaul was cited for two physical incidents: a 17-day encampment where weapons were found, and a hate crime against two Jewish students.
Students at Haverford and DePaul are suing their universities for “neglecting ongoing antisemitism” on campus. Cal Poly currently faces no related lawsuits.
Armstrong received a letter from the committee on April 21 accusing the university of violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. DePaul and Haverford received similar letters. All three letters highlight specific antisemitic incidents on each campus since the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack. The letters also request documentation of campus policy changes and engagements with Palestinian and Jewish organizations.
Cal Poly
The committee is reviewing Cal Poly due to numerous incidents they deemed to violate Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which governs eligibility for federal funding. The hearing will help them determine the effectiveness of Title VI in higher education institutions, according to their letter to Armstrong.
The letter references Cal Poly’s Anti-Defamation League (ADL) antisemitism report card. The current “D” grade reflects high concerns for campus conduct and climate.
The main incident cited in the letter was an April 2024 protest at Baker Science (Bldg. 180), where Israeli Defense Forces veteran Yuval Klein spoke at an event hosted by San Luis Obispo Hillel and Mustangs United for Israel. According to the letter, a Cal Poly faculty member allegedly held a Palestinian flag over a woman’s face while shouting “F— Israel.” Protesters reportedly called the attendees “Zionists” and compared that to the Ku Klux Klan.
Additionally, the committee cited “verbal harassment of Jewish students” from the ADL report card, which details an alleged hate crime in October 2023. An unidentified male yelled “Death to Israel” at two Jewish students from the passenger window of a truck.
Armstrong previously refused to comment on the Israel-Hamas war in a universitywide email on Oct. 12, 2023. Following the incident, he expressed his opposition toward hateful acts against Jewish students and expressed sympathy for anyone affected by the conflict.
Finally, the committee cited graffiti on campus buildings on Halloween night 2024, which included phrases like “Divest from Genocide” and “From Gaza to Cal Poly, let the Intifada spread.”
“When I saw [the graffiti], I was sad and frustrated that it happened, but it wasn’t out of the blue; it’s been happening on college campuses everywhere,” materials engineering senior Avi Shapiro told Mustang News following the incident. “I care about this campus and this university, and stuff like this diminishes from the entire campus.”
Cal Poly issued a statement on Nov. 1, 2024 expressing support for lawful protests, but stated they will enforce campus rules against unlawful behavior to protect the community. The graffiti was removed quickly, according to previous coverage by Mustang News.
DePaul University
The committee chose to review DePaul University due to their “alleged failure to confront, address or otherwise mitigate dangerous antisemitic incidents,” leading the committee to believe the university is in violation of federal civil rights laws. The committee noted DePaul’s failure to comply with Title VI and other anti-discrimination laws, similar to their claim against Cal Poly.
The committee cited DePaul’s “F” rating by the ADL. The ADL notes high concern for DePaul’s campus conduct and climate.
The most prominent incident cited in the letter to DePaul University President Robert Manuel was a 17-day encampment in May 2024 organized by DePaul’s Divest Coalition and Students for Justice in Palestine. Protesters demanded the university divest from companies that “advance Palestinian suffering” and “acknowledge the ongoing genocide” in Gaza, according to coverage by The DePaulia, DePaul’s independent student newspaper.
President Manuel shut down the encampment following more than 1,000 reports of antisemitism, threats traced to hate groups and $180,000 of damages, according to a universitywide email. Weapons found in the encampment included knives, a pellet gun and other improvised items.
“I have said that we would protect free speech and the ability to dissent until it either prevented us from carrying out the operations of our university or threatened the safety of the members of our community,” Manuel said in the email. “I am deeply saddened to say the encampment has crossed that line.”
The committee also cited a November 2024 hate crime, where two masked men attacked two Jewish students, causing a concussion and a fractured wrist. The two students are suing the university for at least $50,000, alleging negligence and a hostile environment for Jewish students.
Haverford College
The committee chose to review Haverford College for antisemitism due to certain antisemitic instances and Haverford’s lack of action, similar to the committee’s reasoning for DePaul. The committee stated Haverford is in violation of federal civil rights laws and is subjecting its Jewish students to unlawful discrimination. They also claimed the university is violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, similar to both Cal Poly and DePaul.
Also rated an “F” by the ADL, the ADL noted publicly disclosed administrative actions were below expectations.
The primary incident cited in the letter to Haverford College President Wendy Raymond is a disruption of an ADL-sponsored “Antisemitism 101” event. Students from Bi-Co Jewish Voice for Peace protested the event and interrupted the speaker, according to coverage by The Clerk, Haverford’s independent student newspaper. Students declared the ADL “is not a credible source on antisemitism and racism,” and argued the ADL is a dangerous organization.
The committee’s letter criticized the university’s failure to condemn students’ behavior.
Another cited incident involved the removal of Bi-Co Chabad flyers. Raymond clarified in a universitywide email that the flyers were likely removed by university facilities due to a violation of postering policies. She affirmed antisemitism is unacceptable on campus and emphasized Haverford’s commitment to balancing free speech and an inclusive learning environment.
Finally, the letter cited an Oct. 2024 event titled “Judaism Does (Not) Equal Zionism: Exploring American Jews’ Complicated Relationship to Israel/Palestine.” According to the letter, eight whistleblowers who observed the event informed the committee that it promoted a culture of antisemitic discrimination.
National scope
These cases reflect a broader national movement by the U.S. Department of Justice. The department launched an antisemitism investigation into the UC system in March and will travel to ten universities, including UCLA and UC Berkeley, according to a department press release. The task force will decide if UCLA violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act by allowing an antisemitic, hostile work environment on campus.
At UCLA, a week-long encampment turned violent in April 2024 when around 100 counter-protesters shot fireworks and protesters on both sides released irritant gases into the encampment, according to coverage by the Daily Bruin. Police arrested more than 200 protesters using rubber bullets, stun grenades and tear gas.
The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is also investigating Harvard University and retracted $400 million in federal funding from Columbia University in March over Title VI violations. Harvard’s April 2024 encampment remained largely peaceful, according to Victor Clay, Harvard University Police Department chief.
The U.S. Department of Justice also opened cases against the University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University, signaling ongoing federal pressure on institutions nationwide.