Haverford College under federal investigation following response to anti-Semitic incidents
Pennsylvania's Haverford College is under a directed federal investigation after the Department of Education received allegations of unaddressed anti-Semitism.
The probe follows years of anti-Semitic harassment that was reportedly dismissed by school officials.
Haverford College is under federal investigation after the U.S. Department of Education determined the school may have violated civil rights law by failing to protect Jewish students from harassment.
The Office for Civil Rights announced Wednesday that it is pursuing a directed investigation into the Pennsylvania liberal arts college after receiving reports that administrators failed to act on multiple complaints of discrimination.
The move follows growing scrutiny of universities nationwide accused of allowing campus climates hostile to Jewish and Israeli students to go unchecked.
The problem first became apparent following Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel. In December of that same year, pro-Palestinian students organized a weeklong sit-in. Participants occupied Founders Hall, demanding that President Wendy Raymond call for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Amid the rising tensions, President Raymond addressed anti-Semitism concerns in an email to the entire student body. The message failed to ease discrimination concerns and prompted criticism from pro-Palestinian elements, who disputed her characterization of events.
A lawsuit was then filed in May 2024 by Jewish students, faculty, parents, and alumni, who alleged the college fostered a hostile, anti-Semitic environment..
The Bi-College News, Haverford’s student paper, reported that in January 2025, the court dismissed the suit without prejudice, allowing a second amended complaint.
Federal officials say the allegations received by the Office for Civil Rights include administrators dismissing student concerns, minimizing vandalism of Jewish events and posters, and suggesting that Jewish students should simply “be brave” in the face of harassment rather than expect protection. In one instance, officials attributed vandalism to “the wind” before later admitting under congressional questioning that the incidents were anti-Semitic.
[RELATED: House committee presses DePaul, Haverford, Cal Poly in anti-Semitism probe]
The investigation follows President Trump’s January executive order directing federal agencies to strengthen enforcement against antisemitism on college campuses.
Under Title VI, universities that accept federal funding are legally required to address discrimination based on race, color, or national origin, a standard the Education Department says extends to antisemitic harassment.
The case against Haverford adds to a growing list of federal probes into higher education’s handling of antisemitism in the aftermath of the Israel-Hamas war. The outcome could determine whether the school faces penalties, including the loss of federal funding, if violations are found.