D.E.I. Official at University of Michigan Is Fired Over Antisemitism Claim, Lawyer Says

The University of Michigan has dismissed an administrator who was involved in diversity programs following accusations of making antisemitic remarks, according to her attorney. The lawyer stated that the administrator intends to sue the university.

Rachel Dawson, who served as the director of the university’s Office of Academic Multicultural Initiatives, allegedly made comments at a conference in March, claiming that the university was “controlled by wealthy Jews,” as reported by The New York Times through documents obtained via a Freedom of Information Act request.

In addition, she was accused of stating that Jewish students were “wealthy and privileged” and did not need the services provided by her office, and that “Jewish people have no genetic DNA that would connect them to the land of Israel.” These allegations were part of a complaint submitted by the Anti-Defamation League of Michigan.

Dawson’s lawyer, Amanda Ghannam, denied the antisemitism charges, asserting that Dawson was fired this week after initially being told she would undergo training. “The university has clearly violated Ms. Dawson’s First Amendment rights, and we will pursue legal action,” Ghannam stated.https://wordpress.com/

A spokeswoman for the university, Colleen Mastony, declined to confirm whether Dawson had been terminated, citing the university’s policy not to comment on personnel matters.

The controversy emerged amid heightened tensions on campus, following incidents such as vandalism at the home of a Jewish member of the Board of Regents and protests related to the university’s diversity, equity, and inclusion policies.

Internal communications suggested that university leaders initially considered a lesser penalty for Dawson, but one regent insisted on her dismissal.

Dawson had led an office responsible for mentoring and supporting racially, culturally, and economically diverse students. She had been with the university since 2017 and took on her current role a little over a year ago.

Following a letter of complaint from the Anti-Defamation League of Michigan in August, the university hired an external law firm, Covington & Burling, to conduct an investigation. In their findings, which were made public via an open records request, the law firm stated that while it couldn’t conclusively verify Dawson’s exact remarks, the available evidence largely supported the claims made by the Anti-Defamation League.

The controversy began at a diversity conference in Philadelphia in March, where Dawson allegedly told two professors, including Dr. Naomi Yavneh Klos of Loyola University, that Jewish students were too wealthy to benefit from her office’s services. Dr. Yavneh Klos, disturbed by the exchange, filed a complaint with the Anti-Defamation League.

The law firm’s memo indicated that Dawson confirmed talking with the two professors but offered a different account, claiming she had emphasized the shared ancestral connection between Jews and Palestinians to the region.

Dawson’s dismissal has raised concerns about free speech, especially at a public university like Michigan, where employees’ speech is generally protected under the First Amendment unless it severely undermines their duties. Geoffrey Stone, a constitutional law professor, noted that even if Dawson had made the remarks, her speech might still be protected by the First Amendment.

Dr. Yavneh Klos expressed frustration that, despite advocating for diversity and inclusion, many DEI offices fail to serve Jewish students or address antisemitism adequately.

Tensions surrounding the issue of antisemitism on campus are mounting, with recent incidents including vandalism at a Jewish regent’s home and protests against potential cuts to diversity programs.

The university is grappling with growing protests, including one last week in which about 100 students and faculty members expressed concerns over the potential scaling back of its diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.