Latest News from Campus

Megha Vemuri, the 2025 class president at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), was prohibited from attending her graduation ceremony after delivering a speech at a different commencement event that criticized MIT’s ties to Israel and labeled Israel’s actions in Gaza as “genocide.” The university stated that Vemuri had misrepresented the content of her speech during the approval process, leading to her exclusion from the ceremony.

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights opened a Title VI investigation into Cal Poly Humboldt following allegations of antisemitic harassment on campus. The complaint cites incidents where Jewish students were subjected to verbal and physical abuse, including being doused with fake blood, targeted with antisemitic slurs, and told to hide their identities. University officials reportedly advised Jewish students to leave public spaces rather than addressing the harassment. Cal Poly Humboldt stated it is reviewing the complaint and will fully cooperate with the investigation.

Eliana Goldin, a Jewish student and Hillel leader at Columbia University, was removed from her columnist role at the Columbia Daily Spectator after critics circulated an old Instagram poll she said was taken out of context. The poll referenced a biblical passage and was misinterpreted as a call for violence. Goldin called her removal from the newspaper, “The worst antisemitic attack I faced personally on campus,” while the paper’s leadership claimed it acted to protect her from harassment.

American University (AU) and AU Hillel announced a joint campaign to raise $7 million to provide AU Hillel with a fully renovated building including dedicated meeting and activity spaces, a student lounge, and staff offices. The initiative reflects AU’s efforts to enhance support for its Jewish community and Jewish students.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services canceled $60 million in federal grants to Harvard University, citing the institution’s failure to adequately address antisemitic harassment and racial discrimination on campus. Harvard denied the allegations and filed a lawsuit against the White House, arguing that the funding cuts threaten crucial research projects and violate federal law.

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin signed an executive order directing state education leaders to develop resources to prevent, track, and report antisemitic incidents in Virginia public schools and universities. The order follows reports of 554 antisemitic incidents in Virginia over the past year, with most occurring in educational settings.