The president of TU desires to face disciplinary actions.
Geraldine Rauch, president of Berlin's Technical University, has asked for a disciplinary process, aiming to address the accusations she's facing. At a meeting of the university's Academic Senate, she admitted to liking an antisemitic post on the internet and expressed regret, calling it a deep mistake. She apologized for engaging with this content, noting she hadn't noticed the offending image in the tweet initially.
Afterward, some media outlets revealed that Rauch "liked" posts on a platform X, using "I like it" next to controversial statements, like referring to the Gaza war as genocide or calling Israel a war criminal. Although her X account is now deleted, her past likes became public. In one such post, a picture of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with a painted swastika is displayed, which she claimed was unintentional. "I felt that the content was interesting and didn't pay enough attention to the image beneath it," she revealed.
The Academic Senate comprises professors, academic staff, students, and staff from technology, services, and administration. During this meeting, they were called to discuss the next steps regarding Rauch's presidential position. She also announced that she would take prompt action against any potential antisemitic activities occurring on the university grounds. Rauch intends to provide additional counseling hours for Jewish students and expand the current counseling center for individuals facing antisemitism.
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Geraldine Rauch's actions have drawn scrutiny beyond Berlin's academic circle, with international media outlets discussing her past likes on platform X, including controversial statements about the Israel war and Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu. The Middle East conflict, particularly the Israel-Gaza Strip tensions, has been a recurring topic in her past online activities. In response to the growing criticism, Rauch has expressed her commitment to combating antisemitism and pledged to enhance support for Jewish students and the university's counseling center.
