Congress targets Ivy League schools' tax-exempt status over antisemitism on campus

The Congressional Ways and Means Committee in the House has suggested that due to investigations into antisemitism at several universities, the colleges could be losing their tax-exempt status as nonprofits.  

After December's congressional hearing over antisemitism in education with MIT, Harvard, and UPenn and subsequent resignations of Harvard and UPenn's presidents, House Republicans are now taking aim at the tax-exempt status of multiple universities. 

According to reporting from the Washington Examiner, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Rep. Jason Smith (R-Miss.) penned a letter to Interim Harvard President Alan Garber, MIT President Sally Kornbluth, Cornell President Martha E. Pollack, and UPenn Interim President Larry Jameson suggesting that the universities may be subject to losing their tax-exempt nonprofit status.  

“As you know, your institutions are aided by the beneficial treatment provided to nonprofit, tax-exempt entities," Smith wrote. "Your universities also receive funding from federal grants and appropriations, support for student loan assistance, lucrative financial benefits from your tax-exempt status, and the advantageous tax treatment of your institutions’ endowments." 

“You may also be aware that there are certain standards your institutions must meet to receive this highly advantageous and preferential treatment." 

"The proliferation of this type of antisemitic activity on your campuses and college campuses across the country as well as the continued lack of support for Jewish students and condemnation of calls for violence against the Jewish community is extremely concerning,” Smith added. “It is also perplexing given how your institutions have had no problem condemning other behavior in the past.”

The letter to the university presidents is the most recent move to combat antisemitism on college campuses that congressional lawmakers have made. MIT said in a statement from a spokesperson that the university and Kornbluth "reject antisemitism and all forms of hate.” 

Directly after the congressional hearing where Kornbluth and now-former Harvard President Claudine Gay and UPenn President Liz Magill gave their testimonies, MIT wrote a statement in "support for [its] president" which said Kornbluth "has done excellent work in leading our community, including in addressing antisemitism, Islamophobia, and other forms of hate, all of which we reject utterly at MIT." 

The letter from Smith had over a dozen questions for the university presidents to answer prior to Jan. 24, 2024, with regard to how they are fulfilling their "educational purpose” for Jewish students. He also asked for financial records and documents having to do with DEI programs at the schools.