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What Universities Should Do to Prepare for the Academic Year

As colleges and universities plan for the 2025-26 academic year, they have both the opportunity and the legal obligation to ensure all students can learn in a safe and inclusive environment. ADL, the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, Hillel International, and the Jewish Federations of North America have come together to offer a unified agenda for campus administrators that we believe will assist campuses in fulfilling this obligation. Our organizations are united in our commitment to the safety and full inclusion of Jewish and Israeli students, faculty, and staff – and all students, faculty, and staff – in higher education across the United States.

We are grateful to the many colleges and universities that have already taken meaningful action to fight antisemitism and support Jewish students, faculty, and staff following the sharp rise in incidents in the wake of Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel. These efforts, which were in line with our recommendations last summer, have included instituting training on antisemitism and how to report antisemitic incidents, clearer articulation and enforcement of time, place and manner regulations around protests and demonstrations, attention to security concerns, and clear efforts to foster an environment committed to civil dialogue. When enacted, these actions led to a significant reduction in impermissible encampments, reduced disruption and harassment, and a safer, more inclusive campus environment for all. But more work is needed and sustained commitment, policy enforcement, and clear communication to campus communities about rights and responsibilities are critical to success.

Outlined below are five pillars of action universities should implement to help ensure antisemitism is not tolerated and to promote the well-being of Jewish members of their campus communities.

I. Promote campus safety by communicating and enforcing rules governing protests and demonstrations and policies prohibiting discrimination.

Colleges and universities have the moral and legal obligation to create and maintain a physically safe and secure campus for their students, faculty, and staff. It is therefore imperative that university leaders make clear to incoming and returning students what it means to be a member of their campus community, including the behavioral norms that are expected of students and the impact on the whole community when those norms are not met. These include the respectful exchange of ideas, and a commitment to nondiscrimination. University leaders similarly should make clear to faculty and staff their obligations as employees and members of an academic community to engage respectfully with all members of the community regardless of religion, ethnicity or national origin. University leaders possess a unique platform to communicate to the entire campus community the unambiguous expectations for the coming year. We urge you to use this platform.

University leaders must also ensure that students, faculty, and staff are aware of their campuses’ codes of conduct, including policies and procedures for managing protests, demonstrations, postings and other speech activity, including time, place and manner restrictions. Before the start of the academic year, prepare communications for all campus community members about what these policies are, why they are important, how they align with core campus values, and the potential consequences for violating them.

These policies should then be enforced in an even-handed, content-neutral, and consistent manner to prevent activities that impede the university’s academic mission or interfere with the rights of any members of the campus community to speak, listen, teach, research, learn, or participate in campus activities or programs.

We also urge colleges and universities to ensure campus law enforcement is properly trained to recognize and address antisemitic conduct that violates criminal law; that there is regular and consistent communication with Jewish communal institutions on campus about security needs; and that there is regular communication with and plans in place to liaise with local law enforcement when necessary.

As much of campus life extends into digital spaces, universities should also take action to address campus safety in these environments. Jewish students, faculty and staff are increasingly subjected to online bullying, doxxing, and coordinated harassment, often through anonymous platforms, group chats, or social media. These digital attacks can be deeply isolating and intimidating, creating a hostile climate that mirrors – and at times intensifies – on-campus tensions. Institutions must update their harassment policies to explicitly cover online conduct and take swift disciplinary and remedial action when violations occur.

It is incumbent on university leaders to promptly and directly respond to alleged violations of campus policies, as well as to alleged violations of the university’s non-discrimination policies when antisemitic incidents are reported. University leaders must promptly and impartially investigate such incidents and, if they are substantiated, should publish strong, timely statements that (1) explicitly condemn the incident and explain what steps will be taken by the university to address the situation and prevent its recurrence, (2) describe specific support available for the Jewish community, and (3) establish clear expectations for respectful campus discourse and conduct tied directly to the mission of the institution. The fact that the incident may involve protected free speech in no way reduces the university’s obligation to step up, speak out, and redress a hostile environment that is created or exacerbated by the incident, as indicated by the Office for Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Education:

The fact that harassment may involve conduct that includes speech in a public setting or speech that is also motivated by political or religious beliefs does not relieve a school of its obligation to respond under Title VI if the harassment creates a hostile environment in school for a student or students.

– U.S. Dept of Education, Office for Civil Rights, Dear Colleague Letter, p. 3 (May 7, 2024). Access the full letter here.

II. Establish a Title VI office or coordinator.

Colleges and universities should establish a Title VI office or designate a coordinator responsible for preventing and addressing discrimination prohibited by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, including antisemitism and discrimination based on national origin. The functions of this office or individual should include:

  • Offer support to students, faculty, and staff who report harassment or bias based on race, color, or national origin;
  • Make sure campus community members know how to report discrimination;
  • Ensure complaints are taken seriously and investigated promptly and fairly, and complainants are informed of the progress and resolutions of their complaints in a timely fashion;
  • Lead training and education to prevent discrimination;
  • Keep accurate records of complaints of discrimination and track trends;
  • Review the reports and complaints of discrimination to ensure that they do not individually or together indicate a hostile environment for students, faculty, or staff; and
  • Share data about the complaints of discrimination received on the school’s website to the maximum extent permitted by law.

Establishing clear accountability and coordination over the handling of Title VI complaints will enable colleges and universities to respond effectively and in compliance with their legal obligations. Transparency about the complaints received will help build community trust, show the school is taking the issues seriously, and give administrators the data they need to respond effectively and prevent future harm.

III. Support Jewish students, staff and faculty.

A number of steps should be taken to support Jewish students, staff and faculty this academic year, including:

  1. Prevent discrimination against Jewish students in campus organizations, clubs, and activities. In many cases over the past two school years, Jewish students have been marginalized and even expressly excluded from student organizations or activities because “Zionists are not welcome.” This form of exclusion becomes even more insidious when the word “Zios” (a term coined by former KKK leader David Duke) is invoked as an antisemitic slur applying this type of litmus test. All colleges and universities should take proactive steps to ensure that all Jewish students, expressly including those who identify or are perceived to identify with support for Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish State (as Zionists), have full and equal access to all the school’s student organizations, programs, and activities.
     
  2. Unequivocally denounce the targeting of Jewish students, faculty, and staff and their organizations. In addition to Jewish students, faculty and staff members being individually harassed because of their identity or support for Israel, Jewish institutions like Hillel, the primary center for Jewish student life on campus, and Chabad, another essential Jewish campus organization, have increasingly become targets of attacks in the form of vandalism and calls for schools to sever ties with them. This is antisemitism pure and simple and is intended to weaken and marginalize Jewish religious and cultural institutions on campus. Colleges and universities must unequivocally reject these antisemitic actions and demands.
     
  3. Ensure Israeli students, faculty and staff are welcome. Israeli students, faculty, and staff are an integral part of many university communities, yet since October 7, 2023, many have faced heightened hostility, exclusion, or discriminatory treatment based on their national origin. In some cases, Israeli speakers have been disinvited, academic collaborations have been blocked, and individuals have been singled out or harassed in classrooms and meetings. Universities must ensure that Israeli members of the campus community are treated with the same dignity, safety, and inclusion as all others. This includes enforcing non-discrimination policies, responding promptly to reported bias incidents, and affirming that Israeli voices and perspectives are a valued part of the academic community. We further encourage intentional integration of Israeli perspectives on campus to enable viewpoint diversity and demonstrate the diversity of Israelis themselves.
     
  4. Reject BDS, including soft and shadow boycotts. There has been a dramatic increase in demands for divestment from companies affiliated with Israel and boycotts of Israeli universities, study abroad programs, and research collaborations. Colleges and universities should reaffirm their opposition to the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement and take affirmative steps to root out these unlawful discriminatory practices. They should publicly affirm their commitment to the free exchange of ideas and access to diverse academic opportunities, including via their partnerships with Israeli institutions and scholars and by featuring the work of Israeli scholars and researchers.
     
  5. Show up for Jewish students. It is vitally important for university administrators to show up for Jewish students and express support for the Jewish community by personally attending Jewish community events on campus. Opportunities should be coordinated with campus Jewish organizations such as Hillel to maximize impact. They can include, but are not limited to, major events undertaken by campus Jewish organizations, during the Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashanah), break fast following Yom Kippur, Simchat Torah celebrations, Shabbat dinners, Passover celebrations, Holocaust Remembrance Day and commemorations of the October 7 attacks.
     
  6. Provide antisemitism education and training for all students, faculty and staff. Universities should provide mandatory training on antisemitism for students, administrators, faculty and staff on a regular and recurring basis as part of student orientation and faculty/staff professional development. Universities are encouraged to consult with local Jewish communal organizations (including affiliates or regional offices of the signatories) to ensure the trainings are consistent with the lived experiences of the Jewish community. Many students, faculty and staff do not fully understand what antisemitism looks like today – including how anti-Zionist rhetoric crosses the line into antisemitic harassment. Without that understanding, harmful behavior can go unchecked, and Jewish students, faculty and staff may be left feeling isolated, unsafe, or silenced. Educating students and employees about antisemitism ensures everyone knows how to recognize antisemitism, understand its impact, and take action to prevent it – just like we do for other forms of bias and discrimination. Many universities nationwide have already instituted mandatory antisemitism training.
     
  7. Promote structural reform, intellectual diversity and institutional transparency. In recent years, university departments, academic centers, and faculty-led initiatives have increasingly come under scrutiny for a lack of ideological diversity, including around issues related to Israel and antisemitism. This contributes to an environment where Jewish students, staff and faculty can feel intellectually marginalized or silenced. Universities must take seriously the need for structural reform that fosters genuine intellectual diversity and transparency. This includes ensuring that institutional funding, departmental sponsorships, and event platforms reflect a range of perspectives and do not exclude Jewish voices or normalize antisemitism under the guise of academic freedom. Faculty governance processes and hiring practices should also be reviewed to guard against ideological litmus tests and to reaffirm the university’s commitment to the search for knowledge, free inquiry, and scholarly debate.
     
  8. Invest in opportunities for dialoguing across differences. In an increasingly polarized campus climate, universities must intentionally create spaces that foster respectful engagement across lines of political, religious and cultural difference. Without proactive support, difficult conversations around Israel and Jewish self-determination, antisemitism, and other issues often devolve into hostility or exclusion, leaving students unable to share their deeply held beliefs for fear of ostracization. Institutions should invest in dialogue programs, facilitated discussions, and initiatives that promote empathy, active listening and shared understanding. These efforts should be designed to include a diversity of Jewish voices and reject frameworks that portray Jewish and Zionist identities as inherently problematic. These may be complemented by programs that foster media literacy and an appreciation for differing and nuanced viewpoints.

IV. Develop and administer a process to assess the campus climate with respect to antisemitism.

Colleges and universities should develop a regular process to assess the prevalence of antisemitism on campus, including how many respondents have been targeted, witnessed antisemitic behavior, or feel safe openly identifying as Jewish on campus. The study should also measure awareness of school policies for reporting incidents, willingness to report and confidence in how complaints are handled. The school should use the data to inform and improve its policies, procedures, and response to campus antisemitism.

This data will give schools a clear picture of what’s working, what’s not and where they need to focus their efforts. It will help identify blind spots, inform training and response protocols, and guide decisions about prevention and accountability. Regular assessments also signal to students and employees that leadership takes antisemitism seriously and is committed to creating a safe and respectful learning environment.

V. Reaffirm faculty professional responsibilities to uphold core academic values.

Universities and colleges must make clear to all campus community members – faculty, staff and students – the rules that govern the academic sphere, how those rules will be enforced, and the consequences for violation and ensure that faculty codes of conduct are vigorously and consistently enforced. The inherent and unequal power differential between faculty and students heightens the vulnerability of students to faculty coercion and political indoctrination. Universities must protect students from these dangers, which interfere with learning and can create a hostile environment. Faculty members have a duty to encourage the free pursuit of learning in their students and ensure that core academic principles of respect, tolerance, intellectual honesty and open inquiry guide institutional operations. Faculty have no authority to impose their own particular political views and opinions concerning matters extraneous to the course of instruction itself, or to significantly insert material unrelated to the course. Faculty may not discriminate against any student on political grounds or based on that student’s legally protected status. Nor should faculty members be allowed to cancel a class session for the purpose of encouraging students to participate in a political protest or rally, or threaten to decrease or withhold students’ grades if ideologically or politically based course components are not met. These norms of faculty conduct should be made explicitly clear at the beginning of the school year.

Conclusion

We urge college and university administrators to commit to these critical measures designed to prevent a hostile environment that violates the civil rights of Jewish students, faculty, and staff. We reiterate our willingness to partner with all colleges and universities to support the implementation of these efforts so that this coming school year is safer and more inclusive for Jewish students, faculty, and staff, and campus communities overall.

ADL Recommended Best Practices for these Five Pillars of Action

I. Promote campus safety by communicating and enforcing rules governing protests and demonstrations and policies prohibiting discrimination.

ADL recommends that colleges and universities send a welcome message at the start of the academic year – and periodically thereafter – that clearly sets expectations for campus conduct for incoming and returning students, as well as all members of the campus community. This communication should state that harassment or discrimination, including antisemitic harassment or discrimination, will not be tolerated, outline consequences for violating conduct policies, and reinforce rules on protests, demonstrations, postings and other time, place and manner restrictions – making clear that free expression does not include directly threatening, harassing, or excluding others based on their identity.

  • Cornell’s President Michael I. Kotlikoff started the 2024-25 academic year with a statement on freedom and responsibility, establishing clear and unwavering expectations for the community including “ensuring that speech or actions by some members of our community does not violate the rights of others.” Alongside this, Cornell has revised its Expressive Activity Policy to clearly outline time, place, and manner limits to campus protests, bar unauthorized encampments, and explain the administration’s ability to take emergency actions to protect the community, up to and including expulsion.
  • Ahead of the 2024–25 academic year, Binghamton University issued two official campus‑wide messages: one reminding the community about its time, place and manner rules governing protests and expressive activity and announcing updates to those policies, and another affirming that hate and bigotry, including antisemitism, will not be tolerated - clearly communicating expectations for behavior and institutional values.

In April 2025, Brandeis University issued an “Affirming Brandeis’ Values” statement responding to a protest that violated its campus policies. The message clearly restated expectations that all demonstrations adhere to the university’s rules, including prohibitions on trespassing and masked participation. It also outlined new disciplinary steps, emphasized enforcement of no‑trespassing rules, and announced the initiation of disciplinary processes against students who facilitated the protest by inviting trespassers.

  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Policy on Prohibited Discrimination, Harassment and Related Misconduct: Antisemitism can be a form of intersectional discrimination or harassment based on religion and/or national origin. Antisemitism may manifest as engaging in any of the following conduct against an individual because the individual is or is perceived to be Jewish or because the individual is or is perceived to be from Israel: repeatedly using antisemitic slurs; defacing an individual’s property with a hateful symbol or word (e.g., a swastika); denying an individual access to or refusing to allow an individual to participate in any program sponsored or hosted by the University; using force or intimidation to obstruct the path of an individual; or refusing to grant an individual a benefit to which they are entitled (e.g., a letter of recommendation). Evidence of an individual’s perceived protected status may include, for example, association with Israel or with a Jewish organization, wearing religious attire (e.g., a kippah), or displaying a religious symbol associated with Judaism (e.g., a star of David).
  • University of Minnesota’s Policies and Protections: A Foundation for Accountability: Explicit Prohibitions Against Antisemitism: The University's Student Conduct Code and Equal Opportunity Policy explicitly prohibit discrimination based on religion, shared ancestry, or ethnic characteristics – legal protections that encompass antisemitic harassment. Please see the Guiding Principles of the Student Conduct Code. This includes harassment in all forms, including harassment toward individuals (a) for reasons of race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin or ancestry, genetic information, disability, status as a veteran, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or gender expression or (b) based on actual or perceived shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics, and citizenship or residency in any country, including Israel and the Arab world countries. This includes, for example, antisemitic and Islamophobic discrimination or harassment. These policies are enforced through investigations by the Office for Community Standards and the Equal Opportunity & Title IX Office. Adjudicators receive annual training on identifying antisemitic behavior under Title VI.
  • Temple University’s Policies and Procedures Manual: The policy prohibits any bias-related intimidation or harassment, including antisemitic and anti-Israeli conduct, via gestures, written, verbal or physical act, or through electronic communication.

  • To address antisemitism and bolster the University’s response to incidents, the University of Virginia Safety & Security department has hosted an antisemitism training day that was attended by 120+ employees from various departments. The Safety & Security department is also taking part in Hillel’s Campus Climate Initiative.
  • To address and prevent antisemitism on campus, the University of Michigan’s Division of Public Safety & Security (DPSS) has implemented enhanced security measures, including expanded camera coverage and real-time monitoring technologies. The University has also strengthened its approach to campus activism by prioritizing education, clearly communicating policies, and responding swiftly to disruptions. DPSS maintains close coordination with the Ann Arbor Police Department and Jewish community organizations, such as Hillel, Chabad House, and the Jewish Resource Center, providing security assessments, enhanced patrols, and support for Jewish student organizations and events.
  • In March 2025, Columbia University announced a new Anti-Doxing and Online Harassment Policy that applies to all members of the campus community. Under this policy, “intimidating, threatening, targeting, or otherwise causing harm to any member of our community, including Jewish and Israeli students, faculty and staff, on social media are strictly prohibited. This includes harassing messages, threats, or insults; impersonation for malicious purposes; publicly sharing personal or private information; and encouraging harassment of others.”

II. Establish a Title VI office or coordinator.

Coordinators should support those who report bias, ensure clear reporting pathways, lead prevention training, track and review complaints to identify hostile environments, and share data transparently where legally permitted.

  • In March 2025, New York University (NYU) announced the appointment of NYU’s inaugural Title VI coordinator within NYU’s Office of Equal Opportunity. The coordinator will be responsible for addressing and investigating instances of discrimination or harassment on campus, as well as educating the NYU community about what constitutes discrimination and harassment.
  • The University of Delaware has created a Title VI Coordinator role, reporting to the University’s Director of Civil Rights & Title IX Coordinator. The coordinator will be responsible for coordinating the University’s compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and will serve as the primary point of contact for Title VI issues for members of the campus community, including the investigation and resolution of complaints.
  • In July 2025, Columbia University announced its intention to appoint dedicated Title VI and Title VII coordinators as part of its efforts to strengthen compliance with federal laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. The coordinators will play both advisory and enforcement roles to ensure timely and appropriate action in response to complaints. These coordinators will also contribute to a publicly available annual report, detailing Title VI and Title VII complaints, investigations and outcomes.

For more information, read "Improving Campus Incident Reporting Mechanisms."

III. Support Jewish students, staff and faculty.

As the ostracization and targeting of Jewish members of campus communities increases, it is critical that colleges take proactive steps to prevent discrimination against Jewish students, faculty and staff within campus organizations, clubs and activities.

  • Duke University’s Policy on Prohibited Discrimination, Harassment, and Related Misconduct specifically states that it is antisemitic conduct to refuse "to allow an individual to participate in any program sponsored or hosted by Duke because they are perceived to be from Israel, are associated with a Jewish organization, wears religious attire, like a kippah, or displays a religious symbol associated with Judaism, like a Star of David.”
  • New York University’s Nondiscrimination and anti-harassment (“NDAH”) policy explicitly prohibits “excluding Zionists from an open event...[and] applying a ‘no Zionist’ litmus test for participation in any NYU activity.”

Colleges and universities must unequivocally publicly denounce the targeting and harassment of Jewish students, faculty, staff and their organizations. As Jewish campus groups face growing hostility, leadership must make clear that such behavior violates community values and will not be tolerated.

  • In November 2024, the University of Rochester responded firmly after hundreds of “Wanted” posters targeting members of the campus community – many explicitly because they were Jewish – were found across university buildings. President Sarah Mangelsdorf publicly denounced the posters, stating unequivocally that the targeting of Jewish individuals constituted antisemitism and would not be tolerated. She affirmed, “This isn't who we are. This goes against everything we stand for, and we have an obligation to reject it.”
  • In July 2024, the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee strongly denounced a social media post by an anti-Zionist student group that targeted Jewish students and campus organizations supporting Israel. The University emphasized that while free speech is protected, intimidation and hate have no place on campus. Following continued online targeted harassment, the University temporarily suspended five anti-Zionist student groups.
  • In summer 2024, CUNY Baruch College condemned a disturbing incident in which a group of CUNY students, including members of the Baruch community, were harassed by protesters at a Hillel-sponsored dinner. The protesters targeted Jewish students, an incident that Baruch’s leadership denounced as unacceptable, stating "Such actions have no place in our community and will not be tolerated.”
  • In August 2024, following a protest in which demonstrators used megaphones to chant directly at the occupants of the Rosen Center – home to the Temple chapter of Hillel – then-President Englert condemned the targeting of Jewish students and made clear that intimidation and harassment would not be tolerated. After joining the university in November 2024, current President Fry reaffirmed this stance in response to the vandalism of an off-campus residence affiliated with a national Jewish fraternity. In a university-wide message, he emphasized that such acts are deeply unsettling but will not weaken the community’s resolve to support Jewish life and to take decisive action against antisemitism.

  • Brandeis University has built and sustained strong relationships with Israeli institutions through a wide range of academic, cultural and leadership initiatives. These include the Hassenfeld Israel Immersion Program and the Israel Summer Internship Program, both of which offer students direct engagement with Israeli society. The University also hosts robust programming through its Schusterman Center for Israel Studies, convenes thought leaders via the Ruderman Executive Leadership Summit, and has an Israel Initiative Fund.
  • American University (AU) has developed and maintained meaningful relationships with Israeli institutions by partnering with several Israeli universities to offer AU students study abroad opportunities in Israel. It also advances academic engagement through the Meltzer Schwartzberg Center for Israel Studies, which is dedicated to the scholarly study of modern Israel and regularly hosts Israeli scholars, writers and artists to share their work and perspectives on campus.

Universities should also publicly reject the discriminatory Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement – including the recent promotion of soft and shadow boycotts – and uphold policies that promote inclusion, academic freedom, and equal treatment for all.

  • CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez has consistently denounced the BDS movement when anti-Israel resolutions have been passed by CUNY-affiliated groups, affirming that such positions do not reflect the views of the university. He has repeatedly reaffirmed CUNY’s commitment to academic freedom and global engagement, with clear public statements issued over multiple years – most recently in February 2025 – underscoring that CUNY will not participate in any form of BDS activity.
  • American University has consistently denounced the BDS movement when anti-Israel resolutions have been passed on campus, making clear that such resolutions do not reflect the university’s official position and will not be implemented. In its public statements, AU has emphasized that BDS actions run counter to the institution’s commitment to free expression, its core values of inclusion and belonging, and its ability to advance community priorities such as student support, scholarships and research.
  • In April 2025, when a BDS referendum passed on campus, Georgetown University’s administration responded within 30 minutes by issuing a public statement unequivocally rejecting the referendum and reaffirming the university’s opposition to BDS.

For more information read "What is BDS" and "Understanding and Countering Soft and Shadow Boycotts of Israel."

University leaders must actively show up for Jewish students – not just in words, but through visible actions that affirm their safety, belonging, and full participation in campus life.

  • Michigan State University (MSU) has consistently demonstrated a deep commitment to supporting its Jewish community through sustained partnerships and direct engagement. Senior university leaders regularly meet with representatives from Hillel, Chabad, ADL, and the Zekelman Holocaust Center, and attend key religious and cultural events including Shabbat dinners, Passover celebrations and memorial vigils. The Serling Institute for Jewish Studies collaborates with Hillel and Chabad on forums addressing antisemitism and its faculty contribute to Jewish life across the state through public lectures and educational programs. MSU also facilitates ongoing educational visits to the Zekelman Holocaust Center.
  • The University of Pittsburgh demonstrates its support for its Jewish campus community through meaningful partnerships and public engagement. In March 2025, the University hosted the powerful traveling exhibition Lessons from The Tree of Life, highlighting artifacts and stories from the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting to promote reflection, remembrance, and education. The University also partnered with the JCC to host the 2025 JCC Maccabi Games – marking the first time the Games were held on a university campus.
  • Emory's Dean of Religious Life and Jewish Chaplain co-chair the monthly meetings of the Jewish Life Working Group, which seeks to support vibrant Jewish life on campus and promote an inclusive culture. The group sponsors annual Emory Hanukkah and Yom HaShoah observances and also meets to address other events and issues (including antisemitism) as they arise.
  • In October 2024, Johns Hopkins University’s leadership, student affairs, and public safety collectively supported Hopkins Hillel and local Jewish religious leaders and community members to host an outdoor vigil on campus, which occurred peacefully and without incident.

All students, faculty and staff should receive mandatory education on antisemitism – including how it manifests today – incorporated into other non-discrimination and harassment trainings. Trainings must be grounded in clear definitions, include real-world examples, and empower community members to recognize and challenge antisemitism in all its forms.

  • Temple University has implemented mandatory Title VI training, which includes specific examples of scenarios focusing on antisemitism. This initiative is required of all for all students, faculty, and staff and is delivered through an online training module. Developed in collaboration with diverse university stakeholders, the training focuses on recognizing and addressing bias related to religion, ethnicity, national origin, and shared ancestry, with a specific emphasis on antisemitic assumptions. Participants are guided through real-world scenarios designed to deepen understanding of how biases may manifest and to promote thoughtful, informed responses that move beyond harmful stereotypes.
  • At SUNY Rockland Community College all college employees are required to complete the SUNY system training on recognizing and preventing discrimination under Title VI, VII, and IX, with the Title VI module specifically addressing shared ancestry discrimination and antisemitism. In August 2024, the college hosted a dedicated antisemitism workshop led by ADL's New York office. The training was delivered live and recorded for broader access across campus. Participation was mandatory for key staff, including the Executive Director of Student Engagement and College Life, Student Involvement staff, student conduct officers, and members of the College’s Executive Cabinet.
  • New York University (NYU) has implemented robust training initiatives to combat antisemitism and promote inclusion. All degree-seeking students are required to complete a Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment (NDAH) training that includes explicit examples of antisemitism and anti-Zionism. Additionally, all NY-based employees must complete state-mandated harassment training that now includes sections on antisemitism and other forms of discrimination. NYU also offers a comprehensive “Jewish Ally Zone” training open to the entire community, which has reached hundreds of participants since its launch in 2021.
  • Georgetown University launched a mandatory educational training program in January 2025 for over 500 student organization leaders. The training focuses on understanding and preventing discrimination and harassment based on protected categories, including antisemitism.
  • Johns Hopkins University (JHU) works in close partnership with Hopkins Hillel to strengthen campus education on Jewish identity and community. In collaboration with Interfaith America, JHU has also provided a religious pluralism educational series for university employees, which included a dedicated session on antisemitism.
  • Amherst College has taken concrete steps to ensure incoming students and key campus leaders are equipped to recognize and address antisemitism. All first-year students, orientation leaders, and community advisors are required to complete a training that includes content on antisemitism. Additionally, key student-facing staff attended a multi-day workshop on antisemitism during summer 2024 at Brandeis University, deepening their understanding of how to support Jewish students and promote an inclusive campus climate.
  • Queens College launched a voluntary three-session bias training series during its second annual Diversity Week in April 2024. Hosted by the Office of Compliance and Diversity, the program was open to students, faculty, staff, and administrators, and addressed unconscious bias, including antisemitism, Islamophobia, racism, sexism and other forms of discrimination in campus interactions, classrooms and community spaces.

  • Following the release of the April 2025 report on antisemitism at Harvard University by the University’s Task Force on Combating Antisemitism and Anti-Israeli Bias, the University committed to establishing “a University-wide initiative to promote and support viewpoint diversity.” As part of their efforts, the University is also working with faculty to strengthen existing academic review processes for courses and curricula.
  • In July 2025, Columbia University finalized an agreement with the federal government resolving multiple ongoing investigations by federal agencies. As part of the resolution, the University committed to maintaining a Senior Vice Provost dedicated to promoting excellence in regional studies, who will lead a comprehensive review of Columbia’s region-specific academic programs, starting with the Middle East. The review will assess curriculum balance, leadership, hiring practices, and curricular processes, and will include recommendations to the President and Provost to ensure academic excellence, transparency, and complementarity across the University’s regional studies offerings.
  • Following the outbreak of the 2023 Israel-Hamas War, Dartmouth College immediately announced a series of public forums and other programming, driven by the College’s chairs of Jewish and Middle Eastern Studies, to foster dialogue and aid the campus community in understanding the background and nature of the conflict. This effort has expanded into a broader Dartmouth Dialogues initiative, with events attracting 14,900 people during the 2024/25 academic year.

Institutions should invest in structured dialogue programs, facilitated discussions and initiatives that promote empathy, active listening and shared understanding.

  • Washington University in St. Louis’ Division of Student Affairs offers “Dialogue Across Difference,” an eight-week course that teaches undergraduate students how to explore difficult topics such as politics, religion, race and gender in a positive and productive way. Aimed at fostering civil discourse, antisemitism is included within this course.
  • Alongside a Dialogues Across Differences Initiative, which now includes a required component in first-year orientation, American University has launched a campus-wide Civic Life project, guided by a cross-campus Steering Committee and featuring the inaugural Student Civic Life Fellows program. The Fellows participate in a leadership course focused on facilitating tough conversations on complex issues.

IV. Develop and administer a process to assess the campus climate with respect to antisemitism.

Universities should conduct annual climate surveys, focus groups or interviews of students, faculty, and staff to assess antisemitism on campus – measuring experiences, perceptions of safety, trust in reporting systems and efficacy of remedial measures. Results must inform institutional policies and demonstrate a serious, data-driven commitment to addressing antisemitism and creating a respectful learning environment.

  • In June 2025, Columbia University released findings from the Harmful Exclusion Alleviation Longitudinal Study (HEALS), a comprehensive campus climate survey completed by over 9,000 students. The results revealed that Jewish and Muslim students felt significantly less comfortable on campus than their peers during the 2023–2024 academic year. These findings echoed what the university’s Task Force on Antisemitism heard directly from nearly 500 students during more than two dozen listening sessions in Spring 2024.
  • To assess the prevalence and impact of antisemitism on campus, Stanford University established the Antisemitism and Anti-Israeli Bias Subcommittee in 2024, which held over 50 listening sessions with undergraduates, graduate students, faculty, staff, alumni, and parents - engaging more than 300 members of the Stanford community. It also conducted nearly four dozen individual interviews, including with senior and mid-level administrators such as deans and vice-provosts, to assess the prevalence and impacts of antisemitism on campus.
  • In July 2025, Brown University reached a settlement with the federal government to resolve three open cases related to its compliance with federal nondiscrimination obligations. As part of the agreement, Brown committed to hiring an external firm to conduct a comprehensive campus climate survey and a social media harassment study. These efforts will include a focus on the experiences of students with shared Jewish ancestry. The initiative aligns with ongoing efforts by Brown’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion to assess the campus climate and builds on previous campus climate assessments the university has undertaken.

Access the ADL-Gratz Model Campus Climate Survey, free of charge and designed to assess the prevalence and impacts of antisemitism on campus.

V. Reaffirm faculty professional responsibilities to uphold core academic values.

Universities must reaffirm that faculty hold professional responsibilities that preclude coercion and political indoctrination of students. Given the power imbalance between faculty and students, institutions must safeguard academic spaces from bias that undermines open inquiry and creates a hostile environment for students in protected groups.

  • In October 2023, American University affirmed clear boundaries around faculty participation in protests by issuing a memo clarifying that faculty members may engage in such activities in a personal capacity, as long as it does not interfere with their instructional responsibilities, including teaching or holding office hours.
  • CUNY Baruch College’s academic freedom policy affirms that faculty have the right to discuss relevant material in their teaching but explicitly prohibits introducing political or controversial topics unrelated to the course subject.
  • Cornell University has emphasized the responsibilities that accompany academic freedom by reaffirming that, while faculty retain broad rights to free expression, their primary role in the classroom is to teach the assigned subject matter and hold class as scheduled. To support this, Cornell has enhanced its training and resources for faculty and graduate student Teaching Assistants. The Center for Teaching Innovation has overhauled guidance materials – including by developing a new resource, Engaging Viewpoint Diversity in the Classroom - which explicitly reference the university’s obligations under Title VI and IX.

By implementing our recommended best practices and building on established ones, campus administrators can create a welcoming environment where Jewish students, faculty, staff and all campus community members feel safe, supported and fully included from the start of the academic year.