Geraldine Rauch's Entitled Work - Berlin TU president appreciates anti-Semitic content; no plans to step down.
The head of Berlin's Technical University, Geraldine Rauch, will stay in her role - despite a majority of the Academic Senate wanting her to leave. Rauch, aged 41, announced on Thursday evening that despite pressing calls for her to step down, she won't be resigning. She's been under fire for 'liking' an antisemitic post on X - a move deeply criticized by many. The controversial content involved pictures of protesters carrying a photo of Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu with a swastika on it.
A recent vote held by the Academic Senate saw 13 members in favor of her resignation and 12 against. While the vote doesn't obligate Rauch to leave, it doesn't exclude the possibility either. She's been accused of not properly reviewing the post before liking it, claiming she liked the text not the image. The author mentioned that protesters in the photos were Turkish, fighting for a ceasefire in Gaza Strip.
A Tight Decision
In the Senate's vote, a close call saw 13 people supporting her departure and 12 against. Although the decision isn't binding, it hasn't been dismissed yet either. Rauch hasn't yet felt the need to file a resignation, mentioning that she's determined to tackle her mistakes head-on.
Rauch stated that she's already outlined potential future actions during the Senate meeting. Growing tension surrounds the situation, with the university's Curatorium planning to hold a special session on Monday to address the Rauch case. It's possible that this committee will decide on dismissal, forcing a vote in the Academic Senate and then reaching a final decision in the Extended Academic Senate.
Uncertain Future Ahead
The fate of Rauch's role at the Technical University isn't certain yet. The Curatorium will meet on Monday to discuss her position. If they decide on her removal, it must be brought up again in the Academic Senate, requiring another vote. The final say would then rest with the Extended Academic Senate. However, Rauch attempts to defend herself by going through disciplinary proceedings, hoping for a fair appraisal of the circumstances and to allow an objective yet fair analysis. She expressed regrets over 'liking' a post with antisemitic material and asked for forgiveness multiple times. Committed to fighting antisemitism, she promised to take decisive action instead of just talking about it.
