Swarthmore College

Swarthmore College

Grade

D

Deficient Approach

Active Litigation/Investigation
Recent Anti-Zionist Student Government Activity
Active Jewish Life

Approximately 7% of Swarthmore College's student population is Jewish. There is a Chabad and Swarthmore Kehilah, a "pluralistic community that is based on the principle of radical welcoming and joyful engagement with Jewish traditions and culture."

What’s Happening on Campus?

The Swarthmore Kehilah has been known to support BDS ideas on campus.

Swarthmore has active Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) chapters. Since the October 7 Hamas attack, the SJP chapter has organized rallies, teach-ins, and walkouts. On October 30, SJP sent a list of demands to the administration including divestment “in companies that fund the settler-colonial state of Israel” and calling on the college to “boycott… brands that fund Palestinian genocide.”

In February 2024, SJP and JVP projected messages onto a campus building with slogans like, “Globalize the intifada,” “How many kids did you kill today?” and “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.”

In March 2024, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights opened a Title VI investigation at Swarthmore.

In May 2024, a professor attending the on-campus encampment was reported to have said that “Holocaust exceptionalism is rampant” and that Jews benefit from the exaggeration of the Holocaust. Messages reading “Student Intifada” were also found on campus, and protestors took over the stage during a campus concert in order to accuse Israel of committing genocide.

University Policies and Responsive Action

According to a December 2023 statement, the University is actively investigating antisemitic and anti-Israel incidents in the aftermath of October 7. In a message to the campus community, the administration stated that the Division of Student Affairs has issued warning letters to several students involved in such incidents and that anyone found to be in violation of school policies will be held accountable.

In May 2024, in response to a series of antisemitic vandalism on campus, the administration stated that those found to be involved would face immediate disciplinary action. Later that month, for the first time in its history, the College chose to move commencement off campus.

*On April 11, Swarthmore College was graded “F”; in light of new information or events, the grade was changed to a “D” on May 1.

Criteria

Publicly Disclosed Administrative Actions and Policies i

Key
Publicly Disclosed Administrative Actions and Policies
This college completely fulfills the specified criteria.
This college partially fulfills the specified criteria.
This college does not fulfill the specific criteria.
Full ADL Criteria Details →
Antisemitism included in Code of Conduct and Policies
Clear process for reporting antisemitic incidents
Advisory council to address antisemitism
Clear religious accommodations policy
Mandatory antisemitism education for students and staff
Has an official position against BDS
Publicly condemns antisemitic incidents

Jewish Life on Campus i

Key
Jewish Life on Campus
This college completely fulfills the specified criteria.
This college partially fulfills the specified criteria.
This college does not fulfill the specific criteria.
Full ADL Criteria Details →
Active Hillel, Chabad, or other Jewish student organization
Jewish Greek life
Jewish studies program or class
Kosher dining
Interfaith initiatives on campus
School promotes awareness of Jewish holidays
Pro-Israel-related programming and activities
Rabbi/Jewish educator
Jewish Religious Services

Incidents i

Key
Incidents
The college has no recent reports of these issues.
The college experiences some of these issues.
The college experiences a lot of these issues.

*Incident levels reflect the number of incidents relative to the Jewish student population on campus.

Full ADL Criteria Details →
Severe antisemitic and anti-Zionist incidents *
None
Other antisemitic and anti-Zionist incidents *
High
Hostile anti-Zionist student government activity
Low
Hostile anti-Zionist student groups
High
Antisemitic speakers or programs on campus
None

275

Jewish Undergraduate
Population

7.00%

Jewish Undergraduate Percentage
of Total Student Population

This page was last updated on Sep 6, 2024, 1:32 pm