University President Michael Schill announced new steps to address antisemitism on campus in his opening remarks before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce Thursday morning.

Schill said the University will “reconstitute a task force to guide our actions and benefit from the work done by other university task forces,” revise the NU Code of Conduct and bolster its enforcement, increase security, and prioritize education about the dangers of antisemitism.

During the testimony, Schill highlighted his family’s ties to the Holocaust and Israel and the personal nature of antisemitism to him.

He also stood by the University’s decision to negotiate an agreement with organizers of the pro-Palestinian encampment on Deering Meadow nearly a month ago.

“By engaging our students with dialogue instead of force, we modeled the behavior we want them to learn from and apply daily,” Schill said.

Schill pushed back on allegations from U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.), the committee’s chair, that he “cut a disgraceful deal with the encampment that prompted seven Jewish members of your own Antisemitism Advisory Committee to resign in protest.”

Schill reiterated his promise that he will not recommend to Northwestern’s Board of Trustees that the University “uses the endowment for political purposes. While student protesters demanded that NU cut ties with companies and institutions affiliated with Israel, Schill told CNN in a May 3 interview that he would not recommend divestment to the board.

“Where there is conduct that threatens the Northwestern community, we must impose discipline, and we have done so,” Schill said. “Yet, I will be the first to admit ― our existing rules and policies are falling short, and we must improve our processes to meet the current challenge.”

This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available. Follow The Daily’s live X coverage here.

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