American University (AU) has a Hillel, Chabad, Jewish Greek life, and the Meltzer Schwartzberg Center for Israel Studies (CIS).

Litigation & Investigations

In January 2024, a federal complaint was filed with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, claiming that the University was experiencing an onslaught of antisemitic incidents that had not been properly addressed.

In March 2025, American University was one of the 60 schools that received a letter from the Department of Education accusing them of violating Title VI.

What’s Happening on Campus?

In September 2024, the Student Government passed a resolution to put a divestment referendum on the ballot. In October 2024, the entrance of the University was vandalized with red spray-paint reading "Genocide" and an inverted red triangle, a symbol associated with Hamas.

University Policies and Responsive Action

The University updated its required course for first-year students for the Spring 2024 semester to better address antisemitism. Experts from the University’s Polarization and Extremism Research Innovation Lab (PERIL) are conducting training for faculty on how to disrupt hate, including antisemitism.

University leaders have also met repeatedly with Jewish students and campus organizations - including Hillel student leaders and the campus Hillel Board - to address concerns pertaining to campus antisemitism.

In January 2024, the University implemented actions outlining prohibited student and student group behavior at university-sponsored events and restrictions on protest locations.

In April 2024, the University strongly condemned the BDS resolution passed by the Student Government. In October 2024, the administration released a statement noting that “American University remains opposed” to BDS as “BDS actions run counter to AU’s commitment to free expression, our values of inclusion and belonging, and our ability to financially support AU community priorities like student thriving, scholarships, and research.”

At the fall 2025 back-to-school orientation, students were required to attend a dedicated session on antisemitism led by Professor Pamela Nadell, one of the nation’s leading experts on Jewish history, with President Alger personally introducing the program. The orientation also featured an interfaith student panel where Jewish and Muslim students came together to share their experiences. As part of a mandatory Encounter AU course, all first-year students were also required to attend Disarming Girls, a play that tells the story of three young women who became unexpected heroes of the Dutch resistance in the Nazi-occupied Netherlands.

A Jewish Faculty and Staff Community Group has been established to provide guidance to the administration to address antisemitism and strengthen Jewish life on campus. The University also formed the Network of Inclusive Excellence Advisors to develop education, training, and programming around antisemitism. Faculty representing Jewish identity serve as advisors to this work.

In 2025, AU Hillel was honored by Hillel International with its 2025 Innovation Award for the Unity Dinner held in collaboration with the AU administration to bring members of the community together to commemorate the one-year anniversary of October 7 in 2024. The University is also in the midst of planning the new dedicated AU Hillel space on campus, which is expected to open in Spring 2027.

In February 2026, AU officially suspended its SJP chapter until 2027. That same month, the University also released a ‘Title VI Nondiscrimination Resource Guide and Frequently Asked Questions’ webpage, which outlines different examples of antisemitism, including anti-Zionism, and describes how such actions can contribute to a hostile environment on campus.

American University (AU) has a Hillel, Chabad, Jewish Greek life, and the Meltzer Schwartzberg Center for Israel Studies (CIS).

Litigation & Investigations

In January 2024, a federal complaint was filed with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, claiming that the University was experiencing an onslaught of antisemitic incidents that had not been properly addressed.

In March 2025, American University was one of the 60 schools that received a letter from the Department of Education accusing them of violating Title VI.

What’s Happening on Campus?

In September 2024, the Student Government passed a resolution to put a divestment referendum on the ballot. In October 2024, the entrance of the University was vandalized with red spray-paint reading "Genocide" and an inverted red triangle, a symbol associated with Hamas.

University Policies and Responsive Action

The University updated its required course for first-year students for the Spring 2024 semester to better address antisemitism. Experts from the University’s Polarization and Extremism Research Innovation Lab (PERIL) are conducting training for faculty on how to disrupt hate, including antisemitism.

University leaders have also met repeatedly with Jewish students and campus organizations - including Hillel student leaders and the campus Hillel Board - to address concerns pertaining to campus antisemitism.

In January 2024, the University implemented actions outlining prohibited student and student group behavior at university-sponsored events and restrictions on protest locations.

In April 2024, the University strongly condemned the BDS resolution passed by the Student Government. In October 2024, the administration released a statement noting that “American University remains opposed” to BDS as “BDS actions run counter to AU’s commitment to free expression, our values of inclusion and belonging, and our ability to financially support AU community priorities like student thriving, scholarships, and research.”

At the fall 2025 back-to-school orientation, students were required to attend a dedicated session on antisemitism led by Professor Pamela Nadell, one of the nation’s leading experts on Jewish history, with President Alger personally introducing the program. The orientation also featured an interfaith student panel where Jewish and Muslim students came together to share their experiences. As part of a mandatory Encounter AU course, all first-year students were also required to attend Disarming Girls, a play that tells the story of three young women who became unexpected heroes of the Dutch resistance in the Nazi-occupied Netherlands.

A Jewish Faculty and Staff Community Group has been established to provide guidance to the administration to address antisemitism and strengthen Jewish life on campus. The University also formed the Network of Inclusive Excellence Advisors to develop education, training, and programming around antisemitism. Faculty representing Jewish identity serve as advisors to this work.

In 2025, AU Hillel was honored by Hillel International with its 2025 Innovation Award for the Unity Dinner held in collaboration with the AU administration to bring members of the community together to commemorate the one-year anniversary of October 7 in 2024. The University is also in the midst of planning the new dedicated AU Hillel space on campus, which is expected to open in Spring 2027.

In February 2026, AU officially suspended its SJP chapter until 2027. That same month, the University also released a ‘Title VI Nondiscrimination Resource Guide and Frequently Asked Questions’ webpage, which outlines different examples of antisemitism, including anti-Zionism, and describes how such actions can contribute to a hostile environment on campus.

American University (AU) has a Hillel, Chabad, Jewish Greek life, and the Meltzer Schwartzberg Center for Israel Studies (CIS).

Litigation & Investigations

In January 2024, a federal complaint was filed with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, claiming that the University was experiencing an onslaught of antisemitic incidents that had not been properly addressed.

In March 2025, American University was one of the 60 schools that received a letter from the Department of Education accusing them of violating Title VI.

What’s Happening on Campus?

In September 2024, the Student Government passed a resolution to put a divestment referendum on the ballot. In October 2024, the entrance of the University was vandalized with red spray-paint reading "Genocide" and an inverted red triangle, a symbol associated with Hamas.

University Policies and Responsive Action

The University updated its required course for first-year students for the Spring 2024 semester to better address antisemitism. Experts from the University’s Polarization and Extremism Research Innovation Lab (PERIL) are conducting training for faculty on how to disrupt hate, including antisemitism.

University leaders have also met repeatedly with Jewish students and campus organizations - including Hillel student leaders and the campus Hillel Board - to address concerns pertaining to campus antisemitism.

In January 2024, the University implemented actions outlining prohibited student and student group behavior at university-sponsored events and restrictions on protest locations.

In April 2024, the University strongly condemned the BDS resolution passed by the Student Government. In October 2024, the administration released a statement noting that “American University remains opposed” to BDS as “BDS actions run counter to AU’s commitment to free expression, our values of inclusion and belonging, and our ability to financially support AU community priorities like student thriving, scholarships, and research.”

At the fall 2025 back-to-school orientation, students were required to attend a dedicated session on antisemitism led by Professor Pamela Nadell, one of the nation’s leading experts on Jewish history, with President Alger personally introducing the program. The orientation also featured an interfaith student panel where Jewish and Muslim students came together to share their experiences. As part of a mandatory Encounter AU course, all first-year students were also required to attend Disarming Girls, a play that tells the story of three young women who became unexpected heroes of the Dutch resistance in the Nazi-occupied Netherlands.

A Jewish Faculty and Staff Community Group has been established to provide guidance to the administration to address antisemitism and strengthen Jewish life on campus. The University also formed the Network of Inclusive Excellence Advisors to develop education, training, and programming around antisemitism. Faculty representing Jewish identity serve as advisors to this work.

In 2025, AU Hillel was honored by Hillel International with its 2025 Innovation Award for the Unity Dinner held in collaboration with the AU administration to bring members of the community together to commemorate the one-year anniversary of October 7 in 2024. The University is also in the midst of planning the new dedicated AU Hillel space on campus, which is expected to open in Spring 2027.

In February 2026, AU officially suspended its SJP chapter until 2027. That same month, the University also released a ‘Title VI Nondiscrimination Resource Guide and Frequently Asked Questions’ webpage, which outlines different examples of antisemitism, including anti-Zionism, and describes how such actions can contribute to a hostile environment on campus.