Overview
- The ACLU of Pennsylvania, Democracy Defenders Fund, and Hangley Aronchick Segal Pudlin & Schiller moved to intervene on behalf of five Penn-affiliated organizations to oppose compelled disclosure.
- The five proposed intervenors are the American Academy of Jewish Research, Penn Carey Law’s Jewish Law Students Association, the Penn Association of Senior and Emeritus Faculty, the American Association of University Professors, and the AAUP’s Penn chapter.
- The EEOC subpoena seeks lists of Jewish campus organizations with member rosters, a list of employees in the Jewish Studies program with contact details, and names of employees who filed antisemitism complaints.
- After Penn refused to provide the requested personal data, the EEOC sued in November to enforce its subpoena, with Chair Andrea Lucas saying the information is needed to identify potential victims and witnesses of antisemitic harassment.
- The intervenors warn that creating a centralized list of Jewish students, faculty, and staff would chill participation, raise First Amendment concerns, and evoke dangerous historical precedents, while Penn says it has provided extensive records but will not disclose personal identities.