Emmer wants UMN to take action against antisemitism on campus

ST. CLOUD — U.S. Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minn., who represents St. Cloud, wrote a letter on July 2 to Dr. Rebecca Cunningham, the University of Minnesota's new president, urging her to address what he sees as the repercussions stemming from Interim President Jeff Ettinger's management of pro-Palestinian protests over the past academic year.

"As you begin your transition, I implore you to take action to undo the damage caused by your predecessor and ensure the campus is a safe and nurturing environment for Jewish students, staff and faculty," Emmer, the House majority whip, wrote in his letter.

This action follows spring semester protests at the University of Minnesota where students joined a national trend calling for universities to divest from Israel and protest Israel's actions during the Israel-Hamas War, which started after Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7 and killed about 1,200 people , mostly civilians, taking about 240 people hostage.

Emmer expressed particular frustration with Ettinger's use of the term "Thawabit," which according to Minnesota Sen. Ron Latz, DFL-St. Louis Park, said the term means "the extermination of Jews in Israel" during a June Minnesota Senate hearing. Emmer criticized Ettinger for signing the document in May, which utilized this term in it, without fully understanding its implications, as he announced the university's terms with protesters.

More: UMN Senate Committee Hearing UMN president admits he signed document with alleged "extermination of Jews" rhetoric in it

Ettinger, who holds a law degree, in June said during a Minnesota Senate committee hearing that he did not know the meaning of the term when he signed the document in May. Emmer argued in his letter that this action places the university in an uncomfortable position internationally.

"The University of Minnesota has inadvertently aligned itself with antisemitic sentiment, suggesting that Israel should not exist," Emmer said in the letter. "This stance is abhorrent and completely unacceptable."

Latz held a Minnesota Senate committee hearing last month to discuss the university's response to the protests, criticizing its failure to impose legal consequences on disruptive protesters, particularly those who were arrested.

"I'm particularly concerned that the lack of sanctions for those who violated the law could encourage future disruptions," Latz said during the hearing. "This may signal to future protesters that they can act with impunity."

In his letter, Emmer posed three questions to President Cunningham: What actions will be taken to address the university's perceived endorsement that Israel does not have a right to exist? How will the safety of Jewish students be ensured? And what measures will be implemented to ensure that Palestinian institutions the university partners with are not antisemitic?

Emmer requested a response from Cunningham by July 8.

During the 2023-24 academic year, the University of Minnesota recorded approximately 170 bias incident reports, a significant increase from 55 reports the previous year, according to university data. Roughly one-third of these incidents involved antisemitic rhetoric, while Islamophobia contributed to one-fifth of the reports.

Corey Schmidt covers local government for the St. Cloud Times and can be reached at cschmidt@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on St. Cloud Times: Emmer wants UMN to take action against antisemitism on campus