House Committee Releases Harvard Disciplinary Records

House Committee on Education and the Workforce Chair Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) slammed Harvard on Thursday for failing to “impose meaningful discipline” on students who participated in pro-Palestine campus protests and accused the University of likely being in violation of the Civil Rights Act.

The update revealed information about the University’s efforts to discipline dozens of students for their participation in two major pro-Palestine protests on campus: the 20-day encampment in Harvard Yard last semester and the 24-hour occupation of University Hall in November 2023.

Harvard referred 68 students from Harvard College and six different graduate schools for disciplinary action for their role in the encampment, according to University documents published by the committee.

Of those students, 52 are back in good standing, 15 are on probation, and one remains on leave after the Harvard College Administrative Board reversed five original suspensions and reduced probationary periods.

The committee also confirmed that 12 students who were called before the Administrative Board for the University Hall occupation were not placed on probation or suspension.

“Harvard failed, end of story,” Foxx wrote in a statement. “These administrators failed their Jewish students and faculty, they failed to make it clear that antisemitism will not be tolerated, and in this case, Harvard may have failed to fulfill its legal responsibilities to protect students from a hostile environment.”

A University spokesperson wrote in a statement that Harvard has “updated and strengthened disciplinary procedures, allowing for common fact-finding in matters involving students across multiple schools.”

“Harvard’s leaders have made clear to the community our rules, norms, and expectations for civil dialogue and responsible conduct, and we unequivocally condemn antisemitism and all forms of hate and bias, which have no place in our community,” the spokesperson added.

Though the committee has consistently criticized Harvard for its handling of reports of antisemitism on campus, this is the first time it has explicitly accused Harvard of possibly violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits institutions that receive federal assistance — such as universities — from discriminating based on “race, color, or national origin.” The committee has repeatedly threatened Harvard’s federal funding throughout its monthslong investigation.

Harvard is already under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights for a Title VI claim that accuses Harvard of not protecting Palestinian and Muslim from discrimination and harassment on campus. The Department ended an earlier Title VI investigation over claims of antisemitism because the University was sued by six Jewish current and former students over the same claims.

Harvard is also under investigation by five other House committees instructed by Republican leadership to probe the University’s federal funding.

The House Committee on Education and the Workforce has been investigating Harvard since December, gradually collecting more than 57,000 pages of documents through informal requests and ongoing subpoenas issued to Harvard President Alan M. Garber 76, Harvard Management Company CEO N.P. “Narv” Narvekar, and Penny S. Pritzker ’81, the senior fellow of the Harvard Corporation — the University’s highest governing body.

The committee took particular issue with the Harvard College Administrative Board’s decision to reduce sanctions levied on students who participated in the pro-Palestine encampment, as well as inconsistent disciplinary procedures between Harvard’s different schools.

Though the Harvard College Ad Board initially applied multi-semester disciplinary sanctions on undergraduates referred for discipline, five of Harvard’s graduate schools decided not to impose “meaningful sanctions,” the Committee wrote.

These lesser disciplinary measures included “informal warnings,” admonishments, and community service requirements.

The committee, however, added that Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences placed 10 students on disciplinary probation ranging from six months to one year for their participation in the encampment.

“Harvard investigated and documented student violations of its policies, some of which were deemed to warrant semesters-long suspensions, but ultimately failed to enforce its own rules and impose meaningful discipline,” the committee wrote.

The committee also criticized the College’s decision to recognize the Harvard Palestine Solidarity Committee as an official student group this semester, after the group was suspended last semester.

“This reversal comes despite the role of PSC and its membership in organizing the unlawful Harvard encampment through the unrecognized group Harvard Out of Occupied Palestine,” the committee wrote.

University administrators have already threatened protesters with disciplinary action for a silent pro-Palestine demonstration inside Widener Library on Saturday.

It remains unclear whether Harvard will follow through on such a warning.

—Staff writer Emma H. Haidar can be reached at emma.haidar@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X @HaidarEmma.

—Staff writer Cam E. Kettles can be reached at cam.kettles@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X @cam_kettles or on Threads @camkettles.