Department of Education Sends Letters to 60 Universities Under Investigation for Antisemitism

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) sent letters to 60 universities currently under investigation for alleged antisemitic harassment and discrimination.

The letters, issued Monday, warn the universities of potential enforcement actions if they do not fulfill their obligations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act to protect Jewish students on campus, according to department press release. Title VI prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, and national origin in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance. National origin includes shared Jewish ancestry.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrations erupted on college campuses across the country in the spring of 2024, resulting in hundreds of arrests, student group suspensions, and event cancellations. Demonstrations continued into this academic year, although in smaller numbers.

RELATED: Are You Ready for Your Next Protest? A Dozen Considerations for Campus Administrators

“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. “U.S. colleges and universities benefit from enormous public investments funded by U.S. taxpayers. That support is a privilege and it is contingent on scrupulous adherence to federal antidiscrimination laws.”

According to the letter, five of the schools were already under an investigation launched last month in response to President Donald Trump’s executive order titled, “Additional Measures to Combat Antisemitism.” The other 55 schools were added to the list in response to additional complaints filed with the office.

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The universities that received the letters are:

1. American University
2. Arizona State University
3. Boston University
4. Brown University
5. California State University, Sacramento
6. Chapman University
7. Columbia University
8. Cornell University
9. Drexel University
10. Eastern Washington University
11. Emerson College
12. George Mason University
13. Harvard University
14. Illinois Wesleyan University
15. Indiana University, Bloomington
16. Johns Hopkins University
17. Lafayette College
18. Lehigh University
19. Middlebury College
20. Muhlenberg College
21. Northwestern University
22. Ohio State University
23. Pacific Lutheran University
24. Pomona College
25. Portland State University
26. Princeton University
27. Rutgers University
28. Rutgers University-Newark
29. Santa Monica College
30. Sarah Lawrence College
31. Stanford University
32. State University of New York Binghamton
33. State University of New York Rockland
34. State University of New York, Purchase
35. Swarthmore College
36. Temple University
37. The New School
38. Tufts University
39. Tulane University
40. Union College
41. University of California Davis
42. University of California San Diego
43. University of California Santa Barbara
44. University of California, Berkeley
45. University of Cincinnati
46. University of Hawaii at Manoa
47. University of Massachusetts Amherst
48. University of Michigan
49. University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
50. University of North Carolina
51. University of South Florida
52. University of Southern California
53. University of Tampa
54. University of Tennessee
55. University of Virginia
56. University of Washington-Seattle
57. University of Wisconsin, Madison
58. Wellesley College
59. Whitman College
60. Yale University

Columbia University Loses $400 Million in Federal Funding

Last week, the Trump administration announced it would cancel $400 million in federal grants to Columbia University “due to the school’s continued inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students,” according to NBC.

The move came days after the administration’s Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism notified the school that it was going to conduct a “comprehensive review” of the university’s federal grants and contracts.

RELATED: Dealing with Protestors: Minimizing Conflict While Protecting School Interests

On Monday, Trump warned that the arrest and possible deportation of a Palestinian activist who helped lead protests at Columbia will be the first “of many to come” as his administration cracks down on campus demonstrations, WCVB reports.

Here are Campus Safety articles that have covered Columbia protests:

• Nov. 2023: Columbia University Suspends 2 Pro-Palestinian Student Groups
• June 2024: Columbia University Settles with Jewish Student Over Pro-Palestine Protest Security Issues
• July 2024: Charges Dropped Against UT Austin, Columbia University Pro-Palestine Protesters
• Aug. 2024: Columbia Restricts Access Ahead of Fall Semester to Mitigate Protests
• Oct. 2024: Pro-Israel Columbia University Professor Barred from Campus for ‘Threatening Behavior’
• Nov. 2024: Columbia Settles with Student Suspended for Using ‘Fart Spray’ During Pro-Palestine Protest
• March 2025: Bomb Threat Made During Barnard College Pro-Palestine Protest