WASHINGTON - Top American universities, seen as the bastions of liberal thinking, came off as callous and insensitive during a recent congressional hearing on anti-Semitism.
They also took a knock for their ineptitude in handling difficult situations, perhaps dimming their halo as definitive models for higher education.
In the House of Representatives hearing on Dec 5, the presidents of three Ivy League institutions gave themselves failing grades in how they answered questions about turmoil on their campuses after the Oct 7 attack on Israel by Palestinian militant group Hamas.
Ms Liz Magill, president of the University of Pennsylvania, resigned within days of her testimony.
"One down, two to go," said Representative Elise Stefanik, herself a Harvard graduate, who chaired the hearing.
Harvard University president Claudine Gay is fending off pressure from wealthy donors, alumni and politicians calling for her ouster.
Her counterpart at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Ms Sally Kornbluth, has received the backing of the board of trustees, but her position is not unassailable either.
Asked by lawmakers whether "calling for the genocide of Jews" would violate their university's code of conduct, all three university leaders deflected.
It would depend on the "context", they said in nearly the same words.
Three in four Jewish students in American colleges say they have experienced or witnessed anti-Semitism on their campuses since the Hamas attack, according to a national survey.
As uproar from students, faculty and donors grew, Ms Magill offered this explanation before she quit: "In that moment, I was focused on our university's longstanding policies aligned with the US Constitution, which say that speech alone is not punishable.
Denne historien er fra December 12, 2023-utgaven av The Straits Times.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra December 12, 2023-utgaven av The Straits Times.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
VERDY'S APPROACH AN EYE-OPENER
Former Lions turned coaches Alam Shah and Isa inspired by stint with Japanese club
Lions' morale-boosting win comes at a price
The Lions got a much-needed morale booster ahead of the Asean Football Federation (AFF) Championship as they beat Tokyo Verdy 2-1 on Oct 11 in the second of three friendlies against J1 League opponents in their Japan training tour.
Conditions to blame for 'ugly' draw, says Messi
Argentina were held to a 1-1 draw by Venezuela on Lionel Messi's return, as Brazil got their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign back on track with a last-gasp 2-1 victory over Chile on Oct 10.
Belgium punish Italy at set pieces in 2-2 draw
Italy coach Luciano Spalletti blamed bad luck, as Belgium bounced back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with his 10-man side in Rome on Oct 10 to boost their hopes of reaching the Nations League quarter-finals.
CARSLEY'S MIDFIELD OVERLOAD BACKFIRES
England temp boss dismayed by mistakes as Three Lions lose to Greece for first time
Player strike in England unlikely: Sports law expert
The chorus of frustrated players and managers speaking out against football's gruelling fixture schedule continues to grow, with Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate the latest to say he would support players' right to strike.
SOCCEROOS HAVE NO FEAR
They head to Japan with confidence despite never having beaten the Samurai Blue there
Toyota back in F1 with Haas tie-up
The United States-owned Haas Formula One team and Toyota announced a multi-year technical partnership on Oct 11, in a move bringing Japan's biggest carmaker back to grand prix racing for the first time since 2009.
SABALENKA TO STICK TO HER BRAVE PLAN
World No. 2 will be aggressive in Wuhan semi against Gauff; Fritz takes on Djokovic
Nadal's beauty lay in his purity as a competitor
To appreciate the retiring Rafael Nadal we can flip through record books, hunt down Uncle Toni, sift the clay for archaeological clues, speak to Roger Federer's therapist, delve into the physics of spin, but really it's best if we start with a dictionary.