Antisemitism on college campuses targeted by new legislation

(The Center Square) – A bipartisan bill aiming to protect Jewish students from harassment and ensure Title VI compliance from college and university leaders has just been re-introduced.

The Protecting Students on Campus Act, brought by U.S. Sens. Bill Cassidy, R-La., and John Fetterman, D-Pa., would require universities to communicate to students how to file civil rights complaints and mandate universities to report the number of civil rights complaints they receive as well as actions taken to address those complaints, among other things.

“The threats and attacks against Jewish students since October 7 are despicable. No one should fear for their safety at school because of who they are,” Cassidy said. “This bipartisan bill holds universities accountable to address discrimination and maintain a safe learning environment for all students.”

Nearly 25% of current or recent Jewish college students in 2023 reported feeling unsafe or uncomfortable on campus due to their heritage, according to a report from the American Jewish Committee.

Fetterman said the bill would help students facing discrimination on campus know their rights and learn how to seek redress when their rights are violated.

“The increasing rates of discrimination, including harassment, hateful speech, instances of vandalism have left students feeling unsafe and threatened based on their race or what country they’re from, particularly over the last couple years,” Fetterman said.

“This bill would help us get [a] clearer view of where these terrible acts are happening, understand actions taken by colleges to address these occurrences, and hold colleges accountable.”

Both the AJC and the Anti-Defamation League endorsed the legislation.

“In the aftermath of Hamas’s barbaric attack on October 7th, we have witnessed a tsunami of antisemitism on college and university campuses,” ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said. “More must be done to protect Jewish students, hold universities accountable, and improve transparency and safeguards against this hate.”

Nearly 73% of Jewish college students experienced or witnessed some form of antisemitism since the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year, Greenblatt added, referencing an ADL survey. The survey also showed that only 46% of Jewish students felt physically safe on campus.

The U.S. House formally condemned antisemitism in a November resolution after a congressional investigation earlier that month revealed alarming levels of antisemitism among administrators across 11 different colleges, including Harvard University and UCLA.