How we can combat campus antisemitism

As students return to campus across the country this fall, colleges and universities face the pressing issue of how to deal with ongoing and alarming antisemitism. These are not isolated incidents but rather a broader problem straining the fabric of higher education institutions.

The original sin for many campuses was their tepid (or lack of) response in the aftermath of the brutal terror attack against Israel on Oct. 7. That void was filled by vitriol and hate, fueling a campus pressure cooker until the issue exploded uncontrollably, like a five-alarm fire. The question as the new school year starts is: will the simmering embers break out again, or have campuses done enough to fully extinguish the flames?

Antisemitism on campus cannot be attributed to a single individual or a handful of haters, nor limited to areas with few Jewish students or communities. Antisemitism reared its ugly head in places like New York, which has the largest Jewish population in the world outside of Israel.

For example, Columbia University’s Task Force on Antisemitism recently issued a report finding “serious and pervasive” problems and proposing urgent, broad changes. The federal Department of Education found that the City University of New York failed to protect Jewish (and Muslim) students from the turmoil that ensued on campuses in the aftermath of Oct. 7 and issued a corrective action plan.

These examples illustrate that this is not simply a problem of college presidential leadership but a broader cultural issue that requires change at every level. In higher education’s longstanding system of shared governance — where trustees, administrators, faculty, staff, and students all play a role in driving institutional culture and norms — addressing the issue effectively requires collective effort and accountability from everyone.

It’s encouraging that the governor and policymakers in New York are keeping this issue on the front burner. However, despite all the attention, we may miss a crucial opportunity for real change. If we simply return to the status quo after the headlines fade, we will have failed not only our Jewish students, but also the broader educational community that strives for meaningful inclusion.

[The New York Times Report continues]

Real transformation requires a commitment to reshaping institutional culture from the ground up. It’s now up to all of us to ensure that this moment becomes a turning point, not a missed opportunity.