The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) on March 10 sent letters to 60 universities that they say are under investigation for Title VI violations related to antisemitic harassment and discrimination.
The move comes amid a broader push to address antisemitism on college campuses following a surge in incidents across the country, particularly after the Hamas attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.According to the Department of Education, the 60 universities must provide uninterrupted access to campus facilities and educational opportunities for all students, including Jewish students.
“The Department is deeply disappointed that Jewish students studying on elite U.S. campuses continue to fear for their safety amid the relentless antisemitic eruptions that have severely disrupted campus life for more than a year. University leaders must do better,” said Secretary of Education Linda McMahon in a news release on March 10.
The list of universities receiving the letters includes prestigious institutions such as Harvard University, Stanford University, Princeton University, Brown University, Cornell University, Columbia University, and Yale University. Others include state and local universities such as the University of Michigan, Ohio State University, University of North Carolina, and Santa Monica College.
The latest action by the OCR follows President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 14188, signed on Jan. 29, which aims to protect Jewish students from discrimination and harassment. The order also directs federal agencies to use all available legal tools to prosecute and hold accountable those accused of antisemitic harassment and violence.
In recent weeks, the Department of Education has taken concrete steps to address the issue.
It launched investigations into five universities—Columbia University, Northwestern University, Portland State University, the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities—where “widespread antisemitic harassment has been reported”, according to the department.
The OCR also announced they would prioritize a backlog of complaints alleging antisemitic violence and harassment, which accrued under the previous administration.
Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor said that after the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks on Israel, American institutions have erupted with harassment and violence toward Jewish students, denying them access to their education.
“Many college and university presidents took little or no credible action, and the Biden Education Department’s OCR political leadership inexplicably accumulated a backlog of complaints,” Trainor said in a March 7 Department of Education news release.
Just last week, the Department of Education, alongside other federal agencies, canceled approximately $400 million in federal grants and contracts at Columbia University over alleged inaction in addressing persistent harassment of Jewish students.
“Universities must comply with all federal anti-discrimination laws if they are going to receive federal funding. For too long, Columbia has abandoned that obligation to Jewish students studying on its campus,” McMahon stated.
Task Force
The funding cancellation is part of efforts by the Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism, which includes the Departments of Justice, Health and Human Services, Education, and the General Services Administration.
The task force has been reviewing Columbia’s compliance with federal regulations, particularly under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, or national origin in programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance.
The U.S. government has also emphasized its zero-tolerance policy for supporters of foreign terrorist organizations, including international students. The State Department said on March 7 it reserves the right to revoke or deny visas to such individuals, citing national security concerns.
Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian graduate student and permanent resident who led pro-Palestinian encampment protests at Columbia University after the Oct. 7 attack on Israel, was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials on March 8.
