Burgess Owens questions university president on large donations from nation linked to Hamas
During a fiery exchange at a House hearing, Utah Republican Rep. Burgess Owens relentlessly questioned Northwestern University President Michael Schill about the hefty sums of donations the elite school has received from Qatar. The conversation took a heated turn when Owens grilled Schill on whether it was appropriate for the university to partner with a government known for harboring terrorists.
“Do you think it’d be a good idea for the University of Northwestern to partner with a government that harbors terrorist Hamas, and Iranian operatives who fund terrorism? Yes or no?” Owens bluntly asked Schill, while pointing to a large billboard check depicting a $600 million donation from Qatar to Northwestern.
In response, Schill avoided giving a direct answer, which further fueled the tense interaction between the two. Owens raised concerns about Northwestern’s partnership with Al Jazeera, known for its controversial pro-Hamas reporting. Schill admitted he had only recently become aware of the collaboration, sparking more scrutiny from Owens.
The House Committee on Education and the Workforce convened a hearing titled “Calling for Accountability: Stopping Antisemitic College Chaos,” where Schill, alongside UCLA Chancellor Gene Block and Rutgers President Jonathan Holloway, faced questioning regarding their handling of campus antisemitism in light of protests and demands for divestment from Israel.
The spotlight fell on Northwestern following revelations that Qatar had donated approximately $690 million to the university since 2007. Owens pressed Schill for specifics on the amount of money received from Qatar-linked sources, but Schill evaded the question, emphasizing that the funds were utilized to sustain Northwestern’s satellite campus in Qatar.
The House Education and Workforce Committee had previously requested details from the university regarding its ties with Al Jazeera, a news outlet funded by the Qatari government. Concerns were raised that the partnership might violate the Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1952, which prohibits Americans from assisting terrorist organizations.
The Qatar embassy released a statement defending its partnerships with U.S. universities, denouncing what it described as a disinformation campaign aimed at undermining its collaboration with the U.S. Northwestern recently garnered attention for striking a deal with student demonstrators, offering to review investments tied to Israel in exchange for dismantling their encampment.
Further scrutiny came from New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, who raised issues about the university’s ranking in an antisemitism report and specific incidents of discrimination on campus. Schill also faced questions concerning a journalism professor’s controversial social media posts justifying Hamas’ actions against Israel.
The contentious hearing shed light on the ongoing struggle to address antisemitism on college campuses, with legislators pushing for accountability and transparency in how universities handle these sensitive issues. The call for universities to combat discrimination and uphold their standards of inclusivity remains a pressing challenge in the higher education landscape.
