Campus News & Climate

Is Colonialism still ‘Blowing in the Wind?’

The killing of two people working at the Israel Embassy—preceded by arson in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and followed by firebombs in Boulder, Colorado– has focused attention on a phrase—‘globalize the intifada—incorporated into common parlance without giving much thought to the somber…

read more

The Godfather of the Campus Intifada

A year after massive pro-Palestinian demonstrations roiled the campus of Columbia University, one protester’s placard sticks in my head: “Columbia, why require me to read Professor Edward Said if you don’t want me to use it?” This protester is onto…

read more

Call the Feds on Higher Education

What are the next steps for university leaders and donors after the Trump administration’s slew of executive orders on removing diversity, equity, and inclusion policies from American life, identifying and removing hostile foreign students, and protecting Jewish students? Some necessary measures are a…

read more

Philly’s K-12 Schools

Since April 2024, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR) has been investigating the School District of Philadelphia (SDP) for unparalleled levels of antisemitism in its schools. The two filed complaints specifically include abhorrent harassment of Jewish teachers and students following the October…

read more

The AAUP Abandons Academic Freedom

Last week, the American Association of University Professors set aside its hundred-year defense of academic freedom by opening the door to any number of individually initiated academic boycotts. Individual students and faculty have always had the right to advocate for academic…

read more

Will Jewish Students Be Safe This Fall?

As the fall 2024 semester approaches, it’s not clear what we can expect from student protestors, outside agitators, faculty instigators, and college administrators. Numerous lawsuits have been filed and either settled or are moving through the courts while, at the same time, the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights is investigating and settling various complaints that have been filed with it. College administrators are grappling with balancing free speech and academic freedom claims with the civil rights of Jewish students who have been the subject of physical, mental and verbal abuse that has mostly gone unpunished. Some universities are reconsidering their approach to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and others are instituting training sessions for employees. Unfortunately, students are showing no signs of tiring or interest in discontinuing their offense against Jewish students and faculty and the State of Israel and they seem to have deep pockets funding their efforts. Join us for a discussion to unpack all of this with campus expert, Asaf Romirowsky, Executive Director of Scholars for Peace in the Middle East and of the Association for the Study of the Middle East and Africa.

read more

Campus Antisemitism

As the fall 2024 semester approaches, it’s not clear what we can expect from student protestors, outside agitators, faculty instigators, and college administrators. Numerous lawsuits have been filed and either settled or are moving through the courts while, at the same time, the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights is investigating and settling various complaints that have been filed with it. College administrators are grappling with balancing free speech and academic freedom claims with the civil rights of Jewish students who have been the subject of physical, mental and verbal abuse that has mostly gone unpunished. Some universities are reconsidering their approach to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and others are instituting training sessions for employees. Unfortunately, students are showing no signs of tiring or interest in discontinuing their offense against Jewish students and faculty and the State of Israel and they seem to have deep pockets funding their efforts. Join us for a discussion to unpack all of this with campus expert, Asaf Romirowsky, Executive Director of Scholars for Peace in the Middle East and of the Association for the Study of the Middle East and Africa.

read more