My reflections in advance of the May 7 congressional hearing

Friends,

We are at an unprecedented inflection point for higher education and at Haverford. Through its recent actions, the federal government is recasting many aspects of its historical partnership with American colleges and universities. The implications of these changes are potentially broad and profound, putting many members of campus communities—and their educations—at risk, and compelling colleges to react quickly in order to uphold long-standing educational and democratic values.

Against this backdrop, next week, on May 7, I will testify before the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce, alongside presidents from DePaul University and California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, on the topic of antisemitism. This hearing presents an opportunity for me to share Haverford's responses to this pernicious form of hate and what we have learned over the past year and a half. Before I speak to the Committee on this topic, I want to address you, the Haverford community.

Let me be clear: every member of the Haverford community deserves to feel safe, welcomed, supported, and inspired to pursue their academic and professional goals. Since Hamas’s terrorist attacks in Israel on October 7, 2023, our nation has seen a troubling rise in antisemitism. We have also witnessed an increase in anti-Muslim hate and other forms of bias. Haverford has not been immune to these challenges, and I want to affirm our commitment to confronting hate and discrimination in all its forms.

I want to share some of our concrete steps to address antisemitism and to foster a community of belonging and mutual respect.

• Revising numerous policies as detailed in my message on April 23, including Expressive Freedom and Responsibility, and Civil Rights Protections and Anti-Bias Standards, to clarify that Haverford does not tolerate hate, discrimination, bias, or harassment;
• Engaging in ongoing dialogue with the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, the Anti-Defamation League, and campus partners to learn and implement best practices. We are also working with the ADL to submit materials that would allow them to reassess our ‘report card’ grade, which we feel does not fully represent the current state of our community;
• Strengthening our safety practices and continuing an intentional strategy of early and direct engagement with students and others pursuing various forms of activism; and
• Working with student leaders as they revise the Honor Code. Student agency is important at Haverford, especially in the context of the Honor Code, and I appreciate the vigor with which our students are actively discussing and working collectively to make these important updates.

Perhaps most importantly, I’ve listened. I have listened to your stories and learned from those directly impacted by antisemitism. These conversations were not always easy, but were honest and necessary.

At Haverford, we often talk about the importance of learning and deep reflection. In my own reflections and learning, I’ve gained clarity about the extent to which, under my leadership, we came up short in some areas. To anyone in the Haverford community who feels that we could have done more, or that I didn’t take a more assertive role in the face of actions running counter to our values and Honor Code—I hear you and acknowledge that we can do better, and I can do better. To Jewish members of our community who felt as if the College was not there for you, I am sorry that my actions and my leadership let you down.

Haverford is a distinctive place. Next week, I’ll have a chance to talk about it and share my written testimony with our community. I'll explain how spirited debate and intellectual curiosity are embedded in our foundation and how our core values—freedom of expression, ethical inquiry, and inclusion and belonging for all members of the Haverford community—guide everything we do.

I encourage every community member to remain engaged. Our work is not yet done, and it takes all of us to be successful.

Sincerely,
Wendy