Harvard faces legal action from Congress if documents on antisemitism not produced by next week

Harvard risks facing a subpoena from the House Committee on Education and the Workforce for failing to comply with Chairwoman Virginia Foxx's request for information on campus antisemitism according to a letter to university leadership on Wednesday. 

Harvard has continually failed to provide documents related to the Committee's antisemitism investigation.Now @virginiafoxx is giving Harvard until 5:00 PM on February 14, 2024 to provide adequate documentation or face a subpoena⬇️ pic.twitter.com/eroHivV1xc

— House Committee on Education & the Workforce (@EdWorkforceCmte) February 7, 2024

In the letter, Foxx said the committee has sought to obtain information regarding Harvard's response to antisemitism, but the university's responses have been "grossly insufficient."

“The limited and dilatory nature of its productions is obstructing the Committee’s efforts,” the letter said. “This is not surprising, given Harvard’s similarly limited and unhelpful responses to the Committee’s inquiries of Harvard’s handling of allegations of plagiarism by then-President Claudine Gay."

Harvard needs to produce sufficient documentation by February 14

Harvard must submit missing documentation by 5 p.m. on February 14, according to the letter, or the “Committee will proceed with compulsory process.”

Documentation includes university board meeting minutes, disciplinary information regarding investigations into antisemitic incidents, as well as all documents and communications from Harvard Corporation and the Board of Overseers involving antisemitism. 

Foxx initiated the formal congressional investigation on January 9, with the deadline for submitting documentation on January 23.