The House Committee on Education and the Workforce has launched an investigation into the University of Pennsylvania, Harvard University, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with plans to use its "full force of subpoena power" after Tuesday's testimony from the schools' presidents and their answers about antisemitism on college campuses drew fire.
"After this week's pathetic and morally bankrupt testimony by university presidents when answering my questions, the Education and Workforce Committee is launching an official congressional investigation," Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y. said in a statement to The Daily Pennsylvanian, the University of Pennsylvania's independent student publication.
She said the committee will use its "full congressional authority" to hold the schools accountable for their failure on the global stage."
The investigation is coming after Penn President Liz Magill testified before the committee that it is "context-dependent" concerning whether people who call for the genocide of Jewish students violate the college's code of conduct.
Wednesday, Magill, after facing calls for her resignation, promised to review the university's code of conduct. She also said she should have focused more on the "evil" of advocating genocide instead of framing the matter as an issue of constitutionally protected free speech.
Thursday morning, Penn's Board of Trustees held an emergency meeting, reported The Daily Pennsylvanian, but would not confirm if the meeting was related to Magill's continued employment as the university's president.
Under the university's rules, speech can be disciplined only if it "intentionally and effectively provokes a crowd to immediately carry out violent and unlawful action."