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 announced a new presidential interfaith initiative that will be led by longtime campus and Harvard Hillel rabbi Getzel Davis. The program was crafted through recommendations from two task forces on bias against Jewish, Israeli, Muslim, Arab, and Palestinian people. Harvard’s official announcement stated that this initiative will aim to “foster respect for diverse identities.”
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.
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.
Cornell University is reportedly in negotiations with the U.S. government to reclaim hundreds of millions of dollars lost in federal research funding after allegedly failing to prevent antisemitism on campus. The talks are said to mirror the model recently used in Columbia’s $221 million settlement, involving potential fines and policy changes related to campus antisemitism, admissions, and shared oversight.
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.