If you’re a regular or even an occasional reader of this publication, you know the October 7 Hamas atrocities and Israel’s subsequent military campaign in Gaza have sparked intense, often antisemitic protests on US college campuses, which in turn led to major upheaval in American higher education, including:
- Three presidents of Ivy League universities have stepped down amid controversy.
- Many institutions have faced claims that they’ve allowed antisemitic behavior to go unchecked.
- Some universities have been criticized for allegedly restricting pro-Hamas voices on campus.
- Police were used to disperse demonstrators, drawing criticism for roughing up pro-Hamas rioters.
Brown University agreed to consider the demands of pro-Hamas students as part of an agreement to dismantle a protest encampment on campus earlier this year.
???BREAKING: Brown University students have answered the call and established a Gaza Solidarity Encampment! pic.twitter.com/iyF8l0sdLB
— Party for Socialism and Liberation (@pslnational) April 24, 2024
Although the Ivy League school’s leadership has resisted politicizing the management of its more than $6 billion endowment, they stated that they would evaluate the proposal after a committee delivers its recommendation by the end of September.
Now, according to a Bloomberg report on Monday, a coalition of attorneys general from 24 states has issued a stern warning to Brown University, targeting a potential decision by the university’s trustees to support divestment from companies closely linked to Israel. The state AGs cautioned that such a move could result in financial consequences for the institution.
The situation at Brown University reflects broader tensions between Hamas advocates and supporters of Israel, playing out in the realm of higher education.
The attorneys general from Arkansas, Florida, Texas, and 21 other states said in a letter to Brown University trustees that adopting the BDS proposal “may require our states — and others — to terminate any existing relationships with Brown and those associated with it, divest from any university debt held by state pension plans and other investment vehicles, and otherwise refrain from engaging with Brown.”
In July, an Office for Civil Rights of the US Department of Education investigation into reports of antisemitism at Brown University since October 7 concluded by criticizing what investigators said was the school’s lack of response to its Jewish students amid a reported surge in campus antisemitism nationwide.
On July 8, 2024, Brown voluntarily agreed to clarify and enhance existing policies and procedures related to the resolution of discrimination and harassment complaints, including those related to antisemitism.
As part of the voluntary resolution agreement with OCR, the University agreed to continue efforts underway to conduct nondiscrimination training for members of the campus community. The University agreed to begin conducting this annual training for all employees and students in the 2024-25 academic year. In addition, employees responsible for investigating complaints of discrimination and harassment will continue to receive investigator training, and that training will take place annually.
But all of the above will not save Brown from potential financial hardship if a group of pro-Hamas activists succeed in pressuring it into divesting from firms that do business with the Jewish State. As things stand now, in keeping with Brown’s deal with its Hamas rioters that ended their illegal encampment, the university’s board of trustees, chaired by Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan, is going to face a demand to cut ties with companies that are “profiting from the genocide in Gaza.”
