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Over the past year, U.S. college campuses have become battlegrounds for an alarming surge in antisemitism, with prestigious institutions like Harvard, Cornell, and MIT finding themselves at the epicenter of this crisis. The outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023 has poured fuel on an already smoldering fire, igniting tensions and exposing a troubling pattern of hate and intolerance in academic spaces once considered sanctuaries for open dialogue and inclusivity.
Nationwide, the numbers paint a grim picture.
Antisemitic incidents skyrocketed by a staggering 337% in just two months following the war, according to the Anti-Defamation League. A U.S. News report from May 2024 reveals that 67% of students at the nation’s top 25 universities recognize antisemitism as a problem. Among them, 14% described it as a “huge problem,” while 53% considered it a “small problem.” In contrast, one-third of surveyed students dismissed antisemitism as a non-issue, reflecting a dangerous divide in perceptions of the crisis.
But the experiences of Jewish students tell a different story—one that cannot be ignored. The Anti-Defamation League’s findings show that nearly three-quarters (73%) of Jewish college students encountered or witnessed antisemitism during the 2023-24 academic year. These incidents range from hateful rhetoric to outright discrimination, leaving many students questioning their safety and their place within academic institutions.
The government is beginning to respond, but the scale of the challenge is daunting. The Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights has opened over 100 investigations in just seven months into complaints of discrimination based on shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics, including antisemitism.
The Harvard case
Following the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, allegations of antisemitism at Harvard surged. Outrage erupted after a student letter blamed “the Israeli regime entirely” for the violence, drawing criticism both on campus and nationwide. Tensions escalated further after a December 5 congressional hearing where lawmakers accused university leaders, including Harvard’s then-President Claudine Gay, of fostering an environment that enabled antisemitism, reports the Harvard Magazine.
The magazine also delved into the experiences of Jewish students in an article titled What is it like to live on campus as a Jewish student? The article referenced a report by the Harvard Jewish Alumni Alliance (HJAA), a group formed in October 2023 to advocate for Jewish student safety. According to the report, antisemitic incidents targeting Jewish students had been present even before the Israel-Hamas war but intensified sharply after its outbreak. One disturbing example included a student’s fiancé being spat on while wearing a kippah, a traditional Jewish head covering, on campus. In response, many observant Jewish students began wearing baseball caps to avoid harassment.
What happened in UPenn?
In October 2023, former U.S. Ambassador Jon Huntsman, a 1987 graduate and former trustee of the University of Pennsylvania, criticized the university’s handling of antisemitic incidents and pledged to stop his family’s donations. The Huntsmans, prominent benefactors of UPenn whose name graces the Wharton School’s main building, joined other donors in expressing their discontent.The controversy erupted after UPenn hosted the Palestine Writes Literature Festival, which included speakers with a history of making antisemitic remarks. While UPenn leaders issued a general statement condemning antisemitism before the event, they did not specifically address the festival, which led to widespread criticism. Donors raised concerns about the university’s commitment to combating antisemitism, as reported by CNN.
The Cornell University arrest
In November 2023, Cornell University made headlines when 21-year-old student Patrick Dai was arrested and federally charged in connection with a series of online posts that threatened to kill and harm the university’s Jewish students, as reported by CNN. The threats prompted both state and campus police to increase their presence on campus, where approximately 22% of the student body is Jewish, according to the university’s Hillel organization. In response to the threats, many students began using buddy systems to navigate the campus. Even after the suspect’s arrest, some students remained uncertain about the safety of the campus.
The Columbia University controversy
In July 2024, Columbia University placed three deans on indefinite leave after revelations that they exchanged text messages downplaying Jewish students’ concerns about discrimination and echoing “anti-Semitic tropes,” reports Al Jazeera. The messages, sent during a May panel discussion on Jewish life at Columbia’s New York City campus, included suggestions that a panelist might exploit recent campus protests for fundraising and criticism of a campus rabbi’s essay on antisemitism.
The 5-hour long congressional hearing
In December 2023, during a five-hour congressional hearing, lawmakers pressed the presidents of Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on the issue of antisemitism. As reported by the Associated Press, the university leaders were unable to clarify whether calls for the genocide of Jews would violate their schools’ conduct policies, sparking immediate backlash. This led to the resignation of Penn’s president within days. Harvard’s president also faced intense scrutiny for nearly a week before the university’s governing body announced that she would remain in her position.
The rush to settle antisemitism cases amid federal scrutiny
As President-elect Donald Trump prepared to take office, pressure on colleges accused of tolerating antisemitism intensified, with several institutions rushing to settle federal civil rights investigations. According to the Associated Press, these settlements allowed schools to avoid prolonged scrutiny by the Department of Education’s civil rights branch, provided they met strict terms such as updating policies and revisiting unresolved complaints.
Notable institutions like the University of Washington, University of California, Johns Hopkins, and the University of Cincinnati have finalized agreements with the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights in recent months. These agreements, aimed at addressing allegations of antisemitism, typically include commitments to strengthen anti-discrimination policies, provide training for faculty and staff, and establish systems for monitoring and addressing complaints. For instance, the University of Washington agreed to conduct a comprehensive review of past incidents and implement new protocols to ensure swift action against antisemitic behavior. Similarly, Johns Hopkins introduced mandatory cultural sensitivity workshops for students and staff to foster inclusivity on campus.
These settlements follow earlier agreements involving Brown University, Temple University, and the University of Michigan. Brown’s settlement required the creation of an advisory committee to oversee campus-wide efforts to combat antisemitism, while Temple agreed to an extensive review of its student organization policies to address concerns about hostile environments during pro-Palestinian protests. The University of Michigan committed to increasing its reporting channels and transparency in investigating complaints, a move applauded by some but criticized by others as insufficient to address systemic issues.
Antisemitism in college campuses and the fear of Trump
Trump’s tough stance on campus protests, particularly those linked to the Israel-Hamas conflict, has only escalated the tension. In a virtual address to Jewish donors in September, Trump had declared, “Colleges will and must end the antisemitic propaganda, or they will lose their accreditation and federal support.” His threats of withholding federal funding have struck a nerve in higher education, where such support is crucial for financial stability and student aid.
Republicans in Congress, meanwhile, have seized on the settlements as evidence of what they claim is the
Biden administration
’s leniency towards antisemitism in academia. According to the Associated Press, over 100 colleges and school districts remain under investigation for alleged violations of Title VI, which prohibits discrimination in federally funded institutions. While most cases have resulted in voluntary agreements, unresolved investigations risk escalating to Justice Department involvement or even federal funding cuts.
Cutting off federal support would have dire consequences for colleges. Institutions heavily reliant on federal funding could face devastating financial shortfalls, and students would be unable to use federal financial aid at affected schools. Tuition costs—already a barrier for many—could skyrocket, pushing more students into the grip of student loan debt.
However, the process for terminating federal support is far from straightforward. According to the Associated Press, schools are given opportunities to comply voluntarily before any funding is rescinded. Even then, the decision requires approval from an administrative law judge, ensuring due process. Still, the fear of Trump’s administration following through on such threats has prompted many universities to act preemptively.
As investigations continue and political rhetoric intensifies, the future of how colleges address discrimination remains precarious, with both sides of the aisle battling over the boundaries of accountability and the cost of federal intervention.
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