Latest News from Campus

A Jewish graduate student filed a federal Title VI complaint against Stanford, alleging the university failed to address persistent antisemitic harassment and hostility within her PhD program. The complaint claims Stanford allowed exclusionary academic environments that led her to leave the program. It urges federal intervention to ensure better protections for Jewish students.

Harvard University announced that it will provide funding to cover the costs of security at Harvard Hillel ahead of the new school year. “By taking on responsibility for security at Hillel, Harvard University is making a powerful statement: Harvard is committed to the safety of Jewish students,” said Rabbi Jason Rubenstein, executive director of Harvard Hillel.

Harvard University is reportedly willing to pay as much as $500 million to the federal government in order to settle outstanding antisemitism and civil rights lawsuits. This report comes just a week after Columbia University agreed to pay $221 million in fines to the government related to allegations of antisemitism, which the White House said it sees as a model for settlements with other universities.

Erica Mindel, who previously worked as a consultant to former U.S. Special Envoy for Monitoring and Combating Antisemitism Deborah Lipstadt, was hired as TikTok’s new public policy manager for hate speech. TikTok has faced increased scrutiny over the spread of antisemitic content, especially since October 7, 2023.

University of Madison Wisconsin suspended its Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) chapter after finding that conduct during an anti-Israel protest violated university policies. The protest targeted an event hosted by the La Follette School of Public Affairs featuring former U.S. Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield. The university found that SJP violated five university policies, including obstruction to doors, disorderly conduct, and breach of probation, which was put in place after the 2024 SJP encampment.

In this opinion piece by Jon Falk, vice president of Israel Action and Addressing Antisemitism Program at Hillel International, campus discourse around Israel is framed through three historical lenses: 1948 (Israel’s founding), 1967 (borders and statehood), and October 7, 2023 (recent attacks and their fallout). Falk suggests that recognizing which conversation is taking place can help students better navigate complex discussions about Israel.