Seven major campus reforms in fight against antisemitism
In tracking the federal crackdown on campus antisemitism, Campus Reform highlights seven reforms that mark a decisive shift in university policy.
Since the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks on Israel, Campus Reform has closely tracked the surge of antisemitism on America’s campuses and the unprecedented federal crackdown that followed.
After the Department of Education warned 60 universities that they could lose federal funding under Title VI violations, several schools agreed to binding settlements or adopted new policies to better protect Jewish students.
From zero-tolerance rules to multimillion-dollar settlements, these resolutions mark a turning point in how universities handle antisemitism:
1. Brown University reaches agreement with Trump administration, funding to be restored
Brown University struck a deal with the Trump administration to restore over $50 million in frozen federal research funds, agreeing to sweeping compliance reforms in exchange.
The settlement required Brown to end race-based practices in admissions and scholarships, align athletic and housing policies with federal Title IX definitions, restrict “gender-affirming care” for minors, and maintain resources for Jewish students, including a third-party climate survey on antisemitism. It also required the institution to submit regular demographic and compliance reports to federal agencies.
2. Barnard agrees to settle antisemitism case, enacts ‘zero tolerance’ policy
Barnard College settled a lawsuit over its handling of antisemitism by enacting sweeping reforms, including a new “zero tolerance” policy against antisemitism and tighter restrictions on campus protests.
The agreement requires Barnard to appoint a Title VI coordinator, ban masks at demonstrations, hold students accountable for off-campus conduct, and refuse negotiations with the Columbia University Apartheid Divest coalition, the group behind the anti-Israel encampments.
The university said these measures make expectations “crystal clear” to students and staff and ensure a safer, more inclusive campus environment.
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3. Columbia settles for $221 million, hailed as ‘seismic shift’ in fight against anti-Semitism
Columbia University reached a $221 million settlement with the Dept. of Education and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to resolve federal civil rights investigations into its handling of antisemitism, restoring access to more than $1.3 billion in frozen federal funding.
As part of the agreement, Columbia has already established a liaison office for Jewish students, updated campus policies, and will submit admissions and hiring data for oversight, while future disputes will be resolved through neutral arbitration.
The University of California, Los Angeles agreed to a $6.45 million settlement after Jewish students alleged the university failed to protect them from antisemitic harassment, including a so-called “Jew Exclusion Zone” during campus protests.
The payout directs millions to Jewish community groups and funds antisemitism initiatives. The agreement also bars UCLA from permitting future discrimination against Jewish students.
5. Yale boosts security amid Title VI complaint over anti-Semitism on campus
Yale University responded to a federal Title VI complaint in which Jewish students said they faced “disparate treatment” on campus by rolling out new measures to support Jewish students.
The university announced it would boost campus security, create a committee to strengthen Jewish student life, expand training on discrimination and antisemitism, and update policies on free expression and outdoor space use.
Following a Title VI complaint filed by Campus Reform Editor-in-Chief Dr. Zachary Marschall, Temple University entered an agreement with the Dept. of Education to address campus antisemitism.
Under the agreement, Temple University must review past antisemitism complaints, share future complaint records with the Dept. of Education, and implement a climate survey to assess its response. The school is also required to train investigators and provide annual anti-discrimination training for all faculty, staff and students.
7. Johns Hopkins agrees to resolution with Dept. of Ed in response to anti-Semitism investigation
In response to a complaint filed by Dr. Marschall, Johns Hopkins University entered a similar resolution with the Dept. of Education.
Johns Hopkins will provide annual training for investigators handling discrimination complaints and require all students and staff to complete training on race, color, national origin, and shared ancestry discrimination. The university will also conduct a campus climate assessment and review its handling of all discrimination complaints received after Oct. 7, 2023.
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