American Jewish Committee, American Council on Education, Hillel International, and the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges Alarmed By Targeting of[...]

American Jewish Committee (AJC), the American Council on Education (ACE), Hillel International, and the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges (AGB), groups representing the collegiate and broader Jewish communities and higher education leaders, are deeply alarmed by inflammatory social media posts and rhetoric targeting trustees. The language was employed by the National Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) as part of its "Week of Rage" campaign, which coincided with the second anniversary of the October 7, 2023 Hamas terror attack.

The campaign, which explicitly targets trustees, among other tactics, labels specific trustees as "butchers" on social media and issues calls to "break the butchers," "dismantle the board of butchers," and "abolish the board."

In the context of rising politically motivated and antisemitic violence in the United States and around the world, we are deeply concerned by SJP's use and encouragement of rhetoric that appears to normalize violence as acceptable means of achieving social change and justice. Since October 7, 2023, trustees have been subjected to vandalism, harassment, and physical attacks. The language used in this latest SJP campaign poses a real threat to the safety of these individuals - who generously dedicate their time and resources to supporting the critical mission of higher education in this country.

This type of dangerous and fear-inducing rhetoric has no place on our college and university campuses or in society at large.

About American Jewish Committee (AJC)

AJC is the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people. With headquarters in New York, 25 regional offices across the United States, 15 overseas posts, as well as partnerships with 38 Jewish community organizations worldwide, AJC's mission is to enhance the well-being of the Jewish people and Israel and to advance human rights and democratic values in the United States and around the world. For more, please visit www.ajc.org.

About the American Council on Education (ACE)

ACE is a membership organization that leads higher education with a united vision for the future, galvanizing our members to make change and collaborating across the sector to design solutions for today's challenges, serve the needs of a diverse student population, and shape effective public policy. As the major coordinating body for the nation's colleges and universities, our strength lies in our diverse membership of more than 1,600 colleges and universities, related associations, and other organizations in America and abroad. ACE is the only major higher education association to represent all types of U.S. accredited, degree-granting colleges and universities. For more information, please visit www.acenet.edu or follow ACE on X (formerly known as Twitter) @ACEducation.

About Hillel International

Hillel International is the world's largest Jewish campus organization, serving more than 180,000 students and young adults each year on more than 850 college and university campuses. With 1,200 Hillel professionals supporting Jewish students in the U.S. and 15 other countries across the globe, Hillel is uniquely positioned to pursue its mission of enriching the lives of Jewish students so that they may enrich the Jewish future, and the world.

About the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges (AGB)

At AGB, we believe in the power of higher education to transform lives, strengthen inclusive democracy, and support a thriving society. We believe that strong higher education starts with great governing boards. AGB provides advocacy, leading practices, educational resources, expert support, and renowned programs that advance board excellence for 40,000 AGB members from more than 2,000 institutions and foundations. For more than 100 years, AGB has been the trusted authority for board members, chief executives, board professionals, and key administrators on higher education governance and leadership. Learn more at AGB.org.

###