REPORT: New York University fails to combat anti-Semitism
New York University received an 'F' grade from an anti-Semitism watchdog organization for its record of combating antisemitism.
Grades were given based on four measures: protection, allyship, identity, and policy.
New York University (NYU) received an “F” grade from an anti-Semitism watchdog organization for its record of combating antisemitism.
The grade was issued by StopAntisemitism, whose mission is to expose anti-Semitism, in its 2022 report “AntiSemitism On U.S. College & University Campuses.”
The report cites that NYU students do not believe faculty “gives antisemitism proper attention.” While students reported feeling safe to express their identity on campus, they also feel “vilified for the actions of Israel.”
NYU adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of anti-Semitism, but also adopted Boycott, Divestment, Sanction (BDS) resolutions, the report states.
NYU spokesperson John Beckman disputed the grade to Washington Square News.
“NYU — which has built what many consider to be the most prominent academic presence in Israel of any major U.S. research university; which has a long, unwavering, and very public record of opposing academic boycotts of Israel; and which has updated its non-discrimination and anti-harassment policy to explicitly prohibit discrimination on the basis of shared ancestry and ethnic characteristics, including antisemitism — utterly and unequivocally rejects antisemitism, and is a leader in combatting it on campus,” he said.
StopAntisemitism told The Algemeiner that NYU can better its grade by improving its campus climate.
The report graded 24 other colleges and universities, six of which also received “F” grades.
Failing schools included Yale University, Columbia University, Swarthmore College, University of California- Berkeley, City University of New York, Brooklyn, and the University of Southern California.
Grades were given based on four measures: protection, allyship, identity, and policy.
The report also issued a survey asking students about their experience on campus. 55% of respondents claimed to have been a victim of on-campus anti-Semitism, and 72% admitted university administrators do not take allegations about anti-Semitism seriously.
73% of respondents stated they do not feel the need to hide their Jewish identity on campus, but 55% admitted to hiding their support for Israel.
“Discrimination targeting Jewish students for their religious identity or for their support of the Jewish State of Israel is not taken as seriously as discriminatory acts against other marginalized groups,” the report claimed.
[RELATED: Commissioner calls allegations of anti-Semitism at Stanford ‘deeply troubling’]
The report also took aim at university commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and claimed many of them exclude Jewish students.
“As America continues to contend with racial reckoning, many, if not all, schools have created a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) department to promote anti-racist positions and effect positive social change,” the report reads. “But all too often, Jews, who are grossly mislabeled as a ‘white, model-minority,’ are excluded from the DEI discussion.”
Campus Reform contacted StopAntisemitism and all universities mentioned. This article will be updated accordingly.
