(The Center Square) – Brown University is facing more allegations of antisemitism after its latest public move against Israel.
U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., sent a letter to the university Board of Trustees urging reconsideration of the choice to hold a vote that endorses a boycott of, divestment from, and sanctionS on Israel.
The news comes as universities around the country grapple with antisemitism on campus.
Scott’s letter says the decision to hold the vote resulted in the resignation of Joseph Edelman from the board, and he commended Edelman for criticism of the board to appease the protestors.
“I strongly believe that colleges and universities that fail to stand up to hate and antisemitism do not deserve to receive federal taxpayer funding, and I am fighting to pass my and Senator Tim Scott’s bill, the Stop Antisemitism on College Campuses Act, to force consequences on universities like Brown that endanger Jewish students by caving to radical groups, some funded by Iran, that sympathize with Hamas terrorists and wish to destroy the State of Israel,” Scott wrote.
Brown agreed to a resolution agreement with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights related to harassment and more than 75 complaints from October to March.
While Scott urged the university to reconsider the vote, he also referred to an open letter written previously to university presidents mentioning his disgust while warning against the onslaught of antisemitism on campuses and the violence from student activists that goes against university policy.
“I called on all university presidents to heed my warning and stand firm in the face of these student groups, many of which have undisclosed ties to terrorist organizations and the largest State Sponsor of Terror, the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Scott’s letter reads.
The increase in activity opposing Israel across college campuses has spread. According to reports by ADL, an organization that confronts antisemitism, the 2023-24 school year has included 2,087 incidents across the country on campuses like assault, vandalism, and harassment.
The report shows a 477% increase in assault, vandalism, harassment, protests/actions, and divestment resolutions from June 1, 2023, through May 31.