The University of Southern California (USC) has a Hillel, Chabad, Jewish Greek life organizations, and partnerships with Hebrew Union College and the USC Shoah Foundation.

Litigation & Investigations

In July 2022, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights opened a Title VI investigation into allegations of antisemitism at USC after a Jewish student resigned from her position as student government vice president in August 2020, after being targeted for discrimination because of her perceived Jewish identity. The student reported that the harassment had taken a toll on both her physical and mental health.

In March 2025, USC 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 February 2024, three student groups – Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), the Palestinian Youth Movement and Dissenters – launched the “National Divestment Campaign,” calling on the University to divest from Israel and saying “We know that USC is very complicit in violence.”

Complaints have been lodged against some professors for allegedly promoting antisemitic and anti-Zionist content online, and Jewish students — particularly in the law and medical schools — have also reported being targeted with online harassment. In June 2024, the USC Chabad house was vandalized.

In October 2024, at an SJP and JVP anti-Israel rally celebrating the anniversary of Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, protesters chanted, “Zionism, Shut it Down” and “There is only one solution; Intifada, revolution.” Protesters also displayed signs with messages such as “Victory to the resistance and chanted “Yemen, Yemen Make Us Proud, Turn Another Ship Around” (a reference to the Houthis, a U.S.-designated terror group).

University Policies and Responsive Action

In January 2022, then-President Carol Folt convened the Presidential Advisory Committee on Jewish Life (JLAC) at USC, and in August of that year, she accepted the Committee’s final report, including a number of proposals to combat antisemitism and anti-Zionism, and to develop and improve campus processes for addressing harassment and discrimination. As of 2026, JLAC still meets monthly during the academic year to continue assessing the campus climate and developing recommendations to address issues when needed. In addition, since October 7, 2023, USC has convened the Intake, Assessment, and Triage Team (IATT), an interdisciplinary body that meets weekly (or more frequently as needed) to address reports related to the Israel/Gaza conflict.

In November 2023, USC hosted the Western Region Summit on Antisemitism in Higher Education conference in partnership with Hillel International and the Jewish Federation of Los Angeles. ADL convened a separate track for Campus Law Enforcement and Public Safety Officers as part of this summit.

In April and May 2024, at the request of the University administration, law enforcement dismantled two encampments, leading to 93 arrests after the first encampment and zero after the second. In an April 2024 announcement, the University canceled its main commencement ceremony, citing security concerns following campus protests.

In September 2024, the USC Shoah Foundation – headquartered on USC’s campus – established a Countering Antisemitism Laboratory to research and combat antisemitism. In November 2024, the Foundation also announced a partnership with the Berlin-based Kreuzberg Initiative against Anti-Semitism (KIgA) to increase access to testimonies of Holocaust survivors and create wide-reaching programming to counter antisemitism.

In September 2025, a Kalaniyot chapter – part of a growing organization that unites faculty at US universities with Israeli researchers – was established at USC. In 2025, Interim President Kim appointed an attorney to serve as the first Special Counsel to the President on Jewish Life, helping guide policy, partnerships, communications, and high-impact decisions affecting the USC Jewish community.

In October 2025, Interim President Kim announced the creation of the USC Open Dialogue Project, a University-wide effort to help strengthen USC’s essential values of free inquiry, civil discourse, and the collective pursuit of truth. This followed the September 2025 establishment of the new Center for Civic Society within the USC Schaeffer Institute for Public Policy & Government Service.

The University also requires all faculty, staff, and student workers to complete biennial harassment prevention training, which includes customized education content regarding antisemitism that was developed with input from JLAC. Furthermore, the University requires all students to complete a prevention education module (PEM) titled Safe Conduct and Freedom of Expression, which instructs students that the First Amendment does not protect severe, persistent, or pervasive harassment, and articulates the University’s position rejecting antisemitism. In addition, all students are required to complete a module about preventing and addressing discrimination, harassment, and related retaliation. The module provides students with information about the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism. USC has also participated in AEN’s Signature Seminar Series and Hillel’s Campus Climate Initiative.

USC also works closely with Hillel to organize events dedicated to fostering Jewish life on campus and has partnered with local and national external Jewish organizations to further support Jewish members of the campus community.

The University of Southern California (USC) has a Hillel, Chabad, Jewish Greek life organizations, and partnerships with Hebrew Union College and the USC Shoah Foundation.

Litigation & Investigations

In July 2022, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights opened a Title VI investigation into allegations of antisemitism at USC after a Jewish student resigned from her position as student government vice president in August 2020, after being targeted for discrimination because of her perceived Jewish identity. The student reported that the harassment had taken a toll on both her physical and mental health.

In March 2025, USC 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 February 2024, three student groups – Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), the Palestinian Youth Movement and Dissenters – launched the “National Divestment Campaign,” calling on the University to divest from Israel and saying “We know that USC is very complicit in violence.”

Complaints have been lodged against some professors for allegedly promoting antisemitic and anti-Zionist content online, and Jewish students — particularly in the law and medical schools — have also reported being targeted with online harassment. In June 2024, the USC Chabad house was vandalized.

In October 2024, at an SJP and JVP anti-Israel rally celebrating the anniversary of Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, protesters chanted, “Zionism, Shut it Down” and “There is only one solution; Intifada, revolution.” Protesters also displayed signs with messages such as “Victory to the resistance and chanted “Yemen, Yemen Make Us Proud, Turn Another Ship Around” (a reference to the Houthis, a U.S.-designated terror group).

University Policies and Responsive Action

In January 2022, then-President Carol Folt convened the Presidential Advisory Committee on Jewish Life (JLAC) at USC, and in August of that year, she accepted the Committee’s final report, including a number of proposals to combat antisemitism and anti-Zionism, and to develop and improve campus processes for addressing harassment and discrimination. As of 2026, JLAC still meets monthly during the academic year to continue assessing the campus climate and developing recommendations to address issues when needed. In addition, since October 7, 2023, USC has convened the Intake, Assessment, and Triage Team (IATT), an interdisciplinary body that meets weekly (or more frequently as needed) to address reports related to the Israel/Gaza conflict.

In November 2023, USC hosted the Western Region Summit on Antisemitism in Higher Education conference in partnership with Hillel International and the Jewish Federation of Los Angeles. ADL convened a separate track for Campus Law Enforcement and Public Safety Officers as part of this summit.

In April and May 2024, at the request of the University administration, law enforcement dismantled two encampments, leading to 93 arrests after the first encampment and zero after the second. In an April 2024 announcement, the University canceled its main commencement ceremony, citing security concerns following campus protests.

In September 2024, the USC Shoah Foundation – headquartered on USC’s campus – established a Countering Antisemitism Laboratory to research and combat antisemitism. In November 2024, the Foundation also announced a partnership with the Berlin-based Kreuzberg Initiative against Anti-Semitism (KIgA) to increase access to testimonies of Holocaust survivors and create wide-reaching programming to counter antisemitism.

In September 2025, a Kalaniyot chapter – part of a growing organization that unites faculty at US universities with Israeli researchers – was established at USC. In 2025, Interim President Kim appointed an attorney to serve as the first Special Counsel to the President on Jewish Life, helping guide policy, partnerships, communications, and high-impact decisions affecting the USC Jewish community.

In October 2025, Interim President Kim announced the creation of the USC Open Dialogue Project, a University-wide effort to help strengthen USC’s essential values of free inquiry, civil discourse, and the collective pursuit of truth. This followed the September 2025 establishment of the new Center for Civic Society within the USC Schaeffer Institute for Public Policy & Government Service.

The University also requires all faculty, staff, and student workers to complete biennial harassment prevention training, which includes customized education content regarding antisemitism that was developed with input from JLAC. Furthermore, the University requires all students to complete a prevention education module (PEM) titled Safe Conduct and Freedom of Expression, which instructs students that the First Amendment does not protect severe, persistent, or pervasive harassment, and articulates the University’s position rejecting antisemitism. In addition, all students are required to complete a module about preventing and addressing discrimination, harassment, and related retaliation. The module provides students with information about the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism. USC has also participated in AEN’s Signature Seminar Series and Hillel’s Campus Climate Initiative.

USC also works closely with Hillel to organize events dedicated to fostering Jewish life on campus and has partnered with local and national external Jewish organizations to further support Jewish members of the campus community.

The University of Southern California (USC) has a Hillel, Chabad, Jewish Greek life organizations, and partnerships with Hebrew Union College and the USC Shoah Foundation.

Litigation & Investigations

In July 2022, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights opened a Title VI investigation into allegations of antisemitism at USC after a Jewish student resigned from her position as student government vice president in August 2020, after being targeted for discrimination because of her perceived Jewish identity. The student reported that the harassment had taken a toll on both her physical and mental health.

In March 2025, USC 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 February 2024, three student groups – Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), the Palestinian Youth Movement and Dissenters – launched the “National Divestment Campaign,” calling on the University to divest from Israel and saying “We know that USC is very complicit in violence.”

Complaints have been lodged against some professors for allegedly promoting antisemitic and anti-Zionist content online, and Jewish students — particularly in the law and medical schools — have also reported being targeted with online harassment. In June 2024, the USC Chabad house was vandalized.

In October 2024, at an SJP and JVP anti-Israel rally celebrating the anniversary of Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, protesters chanted, “Zionism, Shut it Down” and “There is only one solution; Intifada, revolution.” Protesters also displayed signs with messages such as “Victory to the resistance and chanted “Yemen, Yemen Make Us Proud, Turn Another Ship Around” (a reference to the Houthis, a U.S.-designated terror group).

University Policies and Responsive Action

In January 2022, then-President Carol Folt convened the Presidential Advisory Committee on Jewish Life (JLAC) at USC, and in August of that year, she accepted the Committee’s final report, including a number of proposals to combat antisemitism and anti-Zionism, and to develop and improve campus processes for addressing harassment and discrimination. As of 2026, JLAC still meets monthly during the academic year to continue assessing the campus climate and developing recommendations to address issues when needed. In addition, since October 7, 2023, USC has convened the Intake, Assessment, and Triage Team (IATT), an interdisciplinary body that meets weekly (or more frequently as needed) to address reports related to the Israel/Gaza conflict.

In November 2023, USC hosted the Western Region Summit on Antisemitism in Higher Education conference in partnership with Hillel International and the Jewish Federation of Los Angeles. ADL convened a separate track for Campus Law Enforcement and Public Safety Officers as part of this summit.

In April and May 2024, at the request of the University administration, law enforcement dismantled two encampments, leading to 93 arrests after the first encampment and zero after the second. In an April 2024 announcement, the University canceled its main commencement ceremony, citing security concerns following campus protests.

In September 2024, the USC Shoah Foundation – headquartered on USC’s campus – established a Countering Antisemitism Laboratory to research and combat antisemitism. In November 2024, the Foundation also announced a partnership with the Berlin-based Kreuzberg Initiative against Anti-Semitism (KIgA) to increase access to testimonies of Holocaust survivors and create wide-reaching programming to counter antisemitism.

In September 2025, a Kalaniyot chapter – part of a growing organization that unites faculty at US universities with Israeli researchers – was established at USC. In 2025, Interim President Kim appointed an attorney to serve as the first Special Counsel to the President on Jewish Life, helping guide policy, partnerships, communications, and high-impact decisions affecting the USC Jewish community.

In October 2025, Interim President Kim announced the creation of the USC Open Dialogue Project, a University-wide effort to help strengthen USC’s essential values of free inquiry, civil discourse, and the collective pursuit of truth. This followed the September 2025 establishment of the new Center for Civic Society within the USC Schaeffer Institute for Public Policy & Government Service.

The University also requires all faculty, staff, and student workers to complete biennial harassment prevention training, which includes customized education content regarding antisemitism that was developed with input from JLAC. Furthermore, the University requires all students to complete a prevention education module (PEM) titled Safe Conduct and Freedom of Expression, which instructs students that the First Amendment does not protect severe, persistent, or pervasive harassment, and articulates the University’s position rejecting antisemitism. In addition, all students are required to complete a module about preventing and addressing discrimination, harassment, and related retaliation. The module provides students with information about the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism. USC has also participated in AEN’s Signature Seminar Series and Hillel’s Campus Climate Initiative.

USC also works closely with Hillel to organize events dedicated to fostering Jewish life on campus and has partnered with local and national external Jewish organizations to further support Jewish members of the campus community.