Letter to the Northwestern University Board of Trustees from Concerned Stakeholders: Parents, Students, Alumni and Donors

 

Letter to the Northwestern University Board of Trustees from Concerned Stakeholders: Parents, Students, Alumni and Donors

Dear Members of the Northwestern University Board of Trustees,

We write to you as highly concerned stakeholders  - that include parents, students, alumni and donors of this esteemed institution  - to voice our concern regarding recent events and to call upon you to act decisively. The administration's response to recent events on campus has raised profound concerns about the integrity of Northwestern's core values and the increased potential for violence on campus, which we see unfolding at universities across the country. 

Our deep-seated attachment to Northwestern stems from our shared belief in the values it has stood for throughout its history - values of inclusivity, tolerance, and academic excellence. Yet recent events on campus are testing their resilience and exposing profound gaps.  

The October 7 gruesome terror attack on Israel by Hamas has evoked strong emotions. We watched in horror as real-time videos surfaced showing terrorists’ barbaric acts of murder, rape, torture and kidnapping of civilians, including children. And we continue to witness the horrific aftermath unfolding overseas. 

The university’s response to these events, and the resulting response of student groups, defines the tone for civil discourse and sets the moral compass by which we expect students and faculty to navigate an increasingly diverse and interconnected world.  

Thus far, Northwestern's response, not only to the shocking circumstances of crimes committed abroad but also to events that have taken place on our Evanston campus, has been ambiguous and lacking in the decisiveness an appropriate response demands. 

We are especially concerned that President Schill’s remarks left Jewish students feeling more vulnerable, and the lack of clear leadership may have emboldened others to escalate antisemitic behaviors and speech on campus.

To wit:

• The unauthorized tampering with the lights on Deering Library days after the attack in Israel that projected the colors of the Palestinian flag, a vandalic act that suggested Northwestern’s support for Hamas.  

• Blanketing the campus with fake copies of the Daily Northwestern containing antisemitic, hate-filled and anti-Israel messages. The fraudulent newspapers used the university's name in a deceptive format and were circulated across campus and included inflammatory comments, fake news, and exhibited a form of harassment and discrimination.

• A rally sponsored by the Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) where students, many masked, loudly chanted hate speech for nearly two hours, including "From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free," (a call of terrorist groups for the destruction of Israel and the annihilation of the Jewish people) while yelling for Jewish students to "go back to Europe."  While students enjoy the right to free assembly and free speech, the event was intimidating and menacing, especially to Jewish students but also to all passersby.

• NU Thrift, a school-sponsored club located on campus, determined that in order to gain entry to their store, students were required to scan a QR code at the door that led to a prewritten letter to Congress in support of Palestine.

Coercive, hateful and discriminating acts run counter to the values and integrity on which our university was founded. Some demonstrate a blatant attempt to engender, promote, and exalt hatred and violence - action entirely antithetical to and in violation of Northwestern's code of conduct.

We are calling for a thorough and transparent investigation of students and faculty who participate in acts of harassment towards any student and incentivize hatred and genocide of any group. Enforcing appropriate modes of behavior and respect for all views, is not a political position or taking sides. It is the right and moral thing to do.  We need to  recalibrate the moral compass and campus at Northwestern.

If left unchecked, we fear the current situation on campus will escalate and potentially compromise the safety of all our students, like the  disturbing events we are witnessing  at campuses across the country.  We all share a keen desire to keep ALL Northwestern students safe, to encourage a true environment of civil discourse, and out of the headlines.

We are counting on you as the Board of Trustees to protect the values and integrity of our great university and protect the safety and well-being of our students by insisting that the administration take a zero-tolerance stance against acts of hate and harassment.

We therefore urge you to take the necessary steps to address these pressing issues and restore the trust of students, parents, alums, and individuals deeply committed to Northwestern University's continued success and legacy.  We hope you will partner with us because we are stronger together. 

Thank you for your time and attention and look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Parents, Students, Alumni and Donors of the Northwestern community