Latest News from Campus

The start of the semester at Columbia University was marked by anti-Israel protests outside the university’s gates and library, and protesters disrupting a class on the history of modern Israel. The class, taught by Israeli professor Avi Shilon, was interrupted as demonstrators threw fliers that wrote “Crush Zionism” at the students, argued with the professor, and refused to leave.

A bipartisan bill, the Protecting Students on Campus Act, has been reintroduced in the Senate, aiming to strengthen protections for students facing discrimination. The bill would make it easier for students to report civil rights complaints and hold universities accountable. The reintroduction follows the release of data from Hillel International, which reported a nearly 700% increase in antisemitic incidents on U.S. campuses between 2023 and 2024.

Hillel Ontario witnessed a 40% surge in student participation in programs and activities in the aftermath of October 7 and is expecting further growth in the new academic year.

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is directing University of California (UC) schools to take stronger action against antisemitic behavior and harassment targeting Jewish students. Complaints of such incidents have been reported across the UC campuses, including UCLA, UC Santa Barbara, and UC San Diego.

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) recently announced that Lehigh University, a private school in Pennsylvania, has agreed to take action on allegations of antisemitic harassment.

Hamilton College, a highly regarded private arts college in New York where Jewish students comprise 8% of the student body, recently announced the addition of a new minor for students in Jewish Studies. The addition of the Jewish studies minor comes during a time of rising antisemitism on college campuses.