The University of Michigan has fired Rachel Dawson, director of academic multicultural initiatives, after she allegedly claimed Jewish students shouldn't receive diversity support because they are "wealthy and privileged," according to documents obtained by The New York Times.
At a March conference, two Jewish professors approached Dawson about the university's support for Jewish students.
According to the complaint filed with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) of Michigan, Dawson stated that the DEI office doesn't work with Jewish students because "Jewish students are all rich" and claimed the university was "controlled by wealthy Jews." She also allegedly stated that "Jewish people have no genetic DNA that would connect them to the land of Israel."
The university hired law firm Covington & Burling to investigate the allegations. While investigators couldn't definitively confirm the exact remarks due to lack of recordings or additional witnesses, they concluded "the weight of the available evidence supports ADL Michigan's report."
The termination appears to have escalated from initial plans for mandatory training after University Regent Mark Bernstein intervened. In emails obtained by the Times, university vice president Jon Kinsey had initially suggested antisemitism training for Dawson.
However, Bernstein wrote to university president Santa Ono expressing disgust at this response, stating it "makes a mockery of your/our commitment to address antisemitism and broaden our DEI efforts."
Dawson's attorney, Amanda Ghannam, announced plans to sue the university, calling the firing a "clear violation" of First Amendment rights. "It's deeply troubling that [UoM] would escalate the situation to termination based on one conversation in somebody's private capacity," Ghannam said.
The incident occurs amid broader tensions at the university. Another regent, Jordan Acker, who is Jewish, recently had his home vandalized with "divest" and "free Palestine" graffiti, including Hamas-associated symbols. It was the third time Acker has been targeted by protesters.
The University of Michigan has declined to confirm the termination. The institution has spent over $250 million on inclusivity initiatives since 2016 and recently eliminated requirements for staff to discuss diversity advancement in job applications.
The Telegraph contributed to this article.
