The University of Chicago has a Hillel, Chabad, Jewish Greek life organizations and the Greenberg Center for Jewish Studies.

What’s Happening on Campus?

Following the dismantling of an anti-Israel encampment, protestors took over the Institute of Politics building in May 2024 and UChicago United for Palestine released a statement that called for “consequences” to the “privacy and safety” of those deemed to participate in and actively support Israel in the Israel-Hamas war. In June 2024, a group of anti-Israel student protesters walked out of the University’s commencement ceremony in protest of the school withholding the diplomas of four seniors over their involvement with the encampment.

In October 2024, at an anti-Israel rally, protesters chanted, “Resistance is justified when people are occupied,” and “Long Live the Intifada."

In March 2025, a Maroons for Israel (MFI) installation was vandalized on the quad. The installation consisted of a crib containing an Israeli flag and a poster with photos of Kfir Bibas, a nine-month-old Israeli taken hostage on October 7, 2023 and later killed. The poster was partially ripped and left on the ground.

In March 2025, a faculty member displayed an antisemitic sign inside an office. The flyer allegedly “called to ‘deport Zionists’ and promoted other inflammatory, anti-Zionist, and antisemitic rhetoric.”

University Policies and Responsive Action

A few days after the encampment was set up in April 2024, President Alivisatos issued a statement saying "On Monday, I stated that we would only intervene if what might have been an exercise of free expression blocks the learning or expression of others or substantially disrupts the functioning or safety of the university. Without an agreement to end the encampment, we have reached that point.” On May 7, 2024, President Alivisatos published an op-ed outlining why the administration chose to dismantle the encampment, stating: “Students demanded that we side against Israel, violating the core principle of institutional neutrality."

In advance of the 2024-25 academic year, the University circulated a new webpage to the campus community that discussed the disciplinary systems for disruptive conduct and detailed the University’s free expression principles, including the commitment to enabling speech in a safe environment without interference, harassment, or threatening behavior from others.

The University of Chicago provided funding for a major 2024 survey conducted by UChicago Professor Robert Pape, “Understanding Campus Fears After October 7 and How to Reduce Them.”

In March 2025, the University released a statement denouncing the vandalism of a Maroons for Israel (MFI) installation on the quad as a violation of “the University’s longstanding commitment to free expression.” In May 2025, the University posted a statement announcing an investigation into the incident involving the faculty member who had displayed an antisemitic sign.

The University has a Non-Discrimination Policy and Procedure Advisory Committee, which is composed of faculty members who regularly review the University’s policies on harassment and discrimination, including a review of procedures and prevention and response efforts, for all forms of discrimination and harassment. In addition, the annual required training on discrimination and unlawful harassment for all University of Chicago students, faculty, and staff includes optional modules that provide information on policies related to protests on campus and prohibited forms of expression and allow community members to learn how to recognize and respond to forms of harmful bias, including antisemitism, the impact of bias on individuals and the community, how to help when incidents occur, and how to report incidents.

The University is a leading institution for the promotion of civil discourse, with the University’s Forum for Free Inquiry and Expression serving as a focal point for understanding and applying free expression in academia and in the broader culture. The Parrhesia Public Thought and Discourse program also provides an innovative undergraduate curriculum, programming, and outreach in freedom of expression and the theory and practice of discourse.

The University of Chicago has a Hillel, Chabad, Jewish Greek life organizations and the Greenberg Center for Jewish Studies.

What’s Happening on Campus?

Following the dismantling of an anti-Israel encampment, protestors took over the Institute of Politics building in May 2024 and UChicago United for Palestine released a statement that called for “consequences” to the “privacy and safety” of those deemed to participate in and actively support Israel in the Israel-Hamas war. In June 2024, a group of anti-Israel student protesters walked out of the University’s commencement ceremony in protest of the school withholding the diplomas of four seniors over their involvement with the encampment.

In October 2024, at an anti-Israel rally, protesters chanted, “Resistance is justified when people are occupied,” and “Long Live the Intifada."

In March 2025, a Maroons for Israel (MFI) installation was vandalized on the quad. The installation consisted of a crib containing an Israeli flag and a poster with photos of Kfir Bibas, a nine-month-old Israeli taken hostage on October 7, 2023 and later killed. The poster was partially ripped and left on the ground.

In March 2025, a faculty member displayed an antisemitic sign inside an office. The flyer allegedly “called to ‘deport Zionists’ and promoted other inflammatory, anti-Zionist, and antisemitic rhetoric.”

University Policies and Responsive Action

A few days after the encampment was set up in April 2024, President Alivisatos issued a statement saying "On Monday, I stated that we would only intervene if what might have been an exercise of free expression blocks the learning or expression of others or substantially disrupts the functioning or safety of the university. Without an agreement to end the encampment, we have reached that point.” On May 7, 2024, President Alivisatos published an op-ed outlining why the administration chose to dismantle the encampment, stating: “Students demanded that we side against Israel, violating the core principle of institutional neutrality."

In advance of the 2024-25 academic year, the University circulated a new webpage to the campus community that discussed the disciplinary systems for disruptive conduct and detailed the University’s free expression principles, including the commitment to enabling speech in a safe environment without interference, harassment, or threatening behavior from others.

The University of Chicago provided funding for a major 2024 survey conducted by UChicago Professor Robert Pape, “Understanding Campus Fears After October 7 and How to Reduce Them.”

In March 2025, the University released a statement denouncing the vandalism of a Maroons for Israel (MFI) installation on the quad as a violation of “the University’s longstanding commitment to free expression.” In May 2025, the University posted a statement announcing an investigation into the incident involving the faculty member who had displayed an antisemitic sign.

The University has a Non-Discrimination Policy and Procedure Advisory Committee, which is composed of faculty members who regularly review the University’s policies on harassment and discrimination, including a review of procedures and prevention and response efforts, for all forms of discrimination and harassment. In addition, the annual required training on discrimination and unlawful harassment for all University of Chicago students, faculty, and staff includes optional modules that provide information on policies related to protests on campus and prohibited forms of expression and allow community members to learn how to recognize and respond to forms of harmful bias, including antisemitism, the impact of bias on individuals and the community, how to help when incidents occur, and how to report incidents.

The University is a leading institution for the promotion of civil discourse, with the University’s Forum for Free Inquiry and Expression serving as a focal point for understanding and applying free expression in academia and in the broader culture. The Parrhesia Public Thought and Discourse program also provides an innovative undergraduate curriculum, programming, and outreach in freedom of expression and the theory and practice of discourse.

The University of Chicago has a Hillel, Chabad, Jewish Greek life organizations and the Greenberg Center for Jewish Studies.

What’s Happening on Campus?

Following the dismantling of an anti-Israel encampment, protestors took over the Institute of Politics building in May 2024 and UChicago United for Palestine released a statement that called for “consequences” to the “privacy and safety” of those deemed to participate in and actively support Israel in the Israel-Hamas war. In June 2024, a group of anti-Israel student protesters walked out of the University’s commencement ceremony in protest of the school withholding the diplomas of four seniors over their involvement with the encampment.

In October 2024, at an anti-Israel rally, protesters chanted, “Resistance is justified when people are occupied,” and “Long Live the Intifada."

In March 2025, a Maroons for Israel (MFI) installation was vandalized on the quad. The installation consisted of a crib containing an Israeli flag and a poster with photos of Kfir Bibas, a nine-month-old Israeli taken hostage on October 7, 2023 and later killed. The poster was partially ripped and left on the ground.

In March 2025, a faculty member displayed an antisemitic sign inside an office. The flyer allegedly “called to ‘deport Zionists’ and promoted other inflammatory, anti-Zionist, and antisemitic rhetoric.”

University Policies and Responsive Action

A few days after the encampment was set up in April 2024, President Alivisatos issued a statement saying "On Monday, I stated that we would only intervene if what might have been an exercise of free expression blocks the learning or expression of others or substantially disrupts the functioning or safety of the university. Without an agreement to end the encampment, we have reached that point.” On May 7, 2024, President Alivisatos published an op-ed outlining why the administration chose to dismantle the encampment, stating: “Students demanded that we side against Israel, violating the core principle of institutional neutrality."

In advance of the 2024-25 academic year, the University circulated a new webpage to the campus community that discussed the disciplinary systems for disruptive conduct and detailed the University’s free expression principles, including the commitment to enabling speech in a safe environment without interference, harassment, or threatening behavior from others.

The University of Chicago provided funding for a major 2024 survey conducted by UChicago Professor Robert Pape, “Understanding Campus Fears After October 7 and How to Reduce Them.”

In March 2025, the University released a statement denouncing the vandalism of a Maroons for Israel (MFI) installation on the quad as a violation of “the University’s longstanding commitment to free expression.” In May 2025, the University posted a statement announcing an investigation into the incident involving the faculty member who had displayed an antisemitic sign.

The University has a Non-Discrimination Policy and Procedure Advisory Committee, which is composed of faculty members who regularly review the University’s policies on harassment and discrimination, including a review of procedures and prevention and response efforts, for all forms of discrimination and harassment. In addition, the annual required training on discrimination and unlawful harassment for all University of Chicago students, faculty, and staff includes optional modules that provide information on policies related to protests on campus and prohibited forms of expression and allow community members to learn how to recognize and respond to forms of harmful bias, including antisemitism, the impact of bias on individuals and the community, how to help when incidents occur, and how to report incidents.

The University is a leading institution for the promotion of civil discourse, with the University’s Forum for Free Inquiry and Expression serving as a focal point for understanding and applying free expression in academia and in the broader culture. The Parrhesia Public Thought and Discourse program also provides an innovative undergraduate curriculum, programming, and outreach in freedom of expression and the theory and practice of discourse.