Antisemitism committee co-chairs update community on progress

Antisemitism committee co-chairs recap listening session with Jewish students, plan listening sessions with Arab and Muslim students

Daily file photo by Nick Francis

Co-chairs Kellogg Prof. Efraim Benmelech and SESP Dean Bryan Brayboy said they are open to critique and encouragement from students.

February 6, 2024

The co-chairs of the President’s Advisory Committee on Preventing Antisemitism and Hate outlined current progress and future goals in an update to the Northwestern community Monday.

Co-chairs Kellogg Prof. Efraim Benmelech and SESP Dean Bryan Brayboy said in the update that the committee met with over 40 Jewish students last week for a listening session.

“It was an enlightening experience, and we are grateful that the students were direct, honest, and open in sharing their experiences,” Benmelech and Brayboy said in the release. “We left with a commitment to continue to listen, to hear and to be open to critique and encouragement.”

Committee members plan to hold more listening sessions with Arab and Muslim students in the future, they said in the update.

University President Michael Schill named the committee members in a University-wide announcement on Jan. 23. Members — including faculty, students, trustees and administrators — were selected to represent a diverse set of perspectives and experiences.

When Schill initially announced the committee in November, he faced blowback from students and faculty for not calling more attention to Islamophobia on campus. In his January announcement, Schill identified Islamophobia as one of several forms of hate the committee plans to address.

At another committee meeting last week, members outlined more goals, including collecting data, examining policies and procedures, and making recommendations to Schill and Provost Kathleen Hagerty.

We understand that there is urgency to our efforts,” Benmelech and Brayboy said in the release. “Everyone on the committee reiterated their deep commitments to ensuring that we center students and the larger Northwestern community in our efforts.”

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