Antisemitism on University Campuses: Resources & Guidance for Student Affairs

As a former University President and a Senior Student Affairs Officer, I’ve always firmly believed that universities should uphold policies that support students to the fullest extent possible.  There is a place for student affairs professionals to step up and lead on DEIB as it affects the diversity of our students. 

Over the last few years, we’ve seen a surge of antisemitism across the United States. Advocacy group Jewish on Campus reported 544 total incidents of antisemitic behavior on university campuses in 2021. While this included cases from around the world, 99.5% of the reports covered were from the US and Canada. Of particular note, here is the University of Vermont, which has seen a rash of such incidents, with 58 reported cases in 2021 alone.

While the administration has made blanket statements insisting that they don’t condone such behavior, this hasn’t been reflected in their half-hearted response to the situation. Not only have Jewish students faced mounting aggression from their peers, but there have been several reported cases of students being ejected from clubs, study groups, and student government roles, often due to stated or perceived support of Israel. Even when administrators have taken action against antisemitic behavior on campus, it has typically only been after students complained en masse, by which point the damage had already been done. 

If we want to stop the spread of antisemitism on US campuses, we cannot just stand by and wait for it to happen. We need to take direct preventive action! Thankfully, we are seeing steps taken to combat antisemitism on college campuses and make students feel supported and safe. One of the most important resources working towards this end is the AMCHA Initiative, a non-profit organization dedicated to investigating, documenting, educating about, and combating antisemitism at higher education institutions in America. Monitoring 450 campuses across the country, the AMCHA Initiative hosts and updates a database that covers every major reported incident of antisemitism at an American university since 2015. 

The AMCHA Initiative is also committed to organizing and carrying out campaigns to address campus antisemitism, including communicating with university, state, and federal leaders about the problem and possible solutions, engaging grassroots activists, and collaborating with other legal and educational organizations. Their efforts have gone a long way to bring greater attention to recent antisemitic behavior across college campuses and have highlighted the challenges that activists have faced while trying to support Jewish students. With more information available, universities and other organizations are beginning to realize the scale of the problem and taking more direct action. 

This growing desire to combat antisemitism on US campuses recently led The Louis D. Brandeis Center to publish a set of best practices designed to help administrators address campus anti-semitism, along with discrimination based on Israeli national origin. One of the reasons universities have struggled to address antisemitic behaviors on campus is the challenge of distinguishing between offensive incidents of antisemitism and mere political criticism of the State of Israel. A lot of anti-Jewish messages often bubble up on campus from those who are motivated by antiracist ideologies and the fight against injustice, making it difficult to determine what is an act of hate and what is well-intentioned political activism. 

These best practices offer a concise yet well-considered overview of this complex issue, covering how to protect free speech while preventing discrimination. Even with institutions that lack formal policies and procedures for dealing with these types of situations, there is enough covered within the LDB’s best practices to help administrators take some important first steps. Ideally, university leaders can learn from these suggested best practices to develop more inclusive and supportive regulations that combat antisemitism and anti-Israelism at the source. 

Still, there is a lot of work to be done. If your student affairs staff is looking to address antisemitism on campus and are looking for guidance, one can contact the Brandeis Center directly.

Sources to reference:

• https://amchainitiative.org/ 
• https://brandeiscenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/guide_01.pdf 
• https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-campus-antisemitism-survey-university-of-vermont-had-most-reported-cases-in-2021/
• https://www.wsj.com/amp/articles/antisemitism-is-rising-at-colleges-and-jewish-students-are-facing-growing-hostility-11671027820
• https://naspa.org/policypapers/naspa-statement-on-the-tree-of-life-synagogue-shooting