Columbia University violated rights of Jewish students, fed probe finds

An investigation by the Department of Health and Human Services found the university violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. — Image credit: ADAM GRAY/AFP via Getty Images

Summary

"Deliberate indifference"

A Health and Human services investigation found Columbia University violated the civil rights of Jewish students by acting with "deliberate indifference" toward harassment.

Title VI of Civil Rights Act

The HHS Office of Civil Rights said the university violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin.

Columbia's response

The university said it would work with HHS and that it is deeply committed to combatting antisemitism and harassment.

Full story

Columbia University has been violating the civil rights of Jewish students from the day Hamas attacked Israel in October 2023 through to the present, according to the findings of a federal investigation. The Department of Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights (OCR) determined that the university acted with “deliberate indifference” toward student-on-student harassment of Jewish students for 19 months.

What is the university accused of doing?

OCR accused the university of failing to:

Investigate or punish vandalism in its classrooms, which includes swastikas and other universally recognized hate images
Follow its policies when responding to misconduct against Jewish students and Jewish students’ complaints
Enforce its time, place and manner restrictions for campus protests

What constitutes a Title VI violation?

The HHS Civil Rights Office is in charge of enforcing Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits any institution that receives federal funding from discriminating on the basis of race, color or national origin. In this case, it applies to discrimination against “actual or perceived Israeli or Jewish identity or ancestry.”

“The findings carefully document the hostile environment Jewish students at Columbia University have had to endure for over 19 months, disrupting their education, safety and well-being,” Anthony Archeval, the acting director of the Office for Civil Rights, said in a statement. “We encourage Columbia University to work with us to come to an agreement that reflects meaningful changes that will truly protect Jewish students.”

OCR said the investigation included witness interviews, examination of policies and procedures, media reports that captured antisemitic incidents live during university events and reports from the university’s own Task Force on Antisemitism.

What’s the university’s response?

The university said in a statement to The Washington Post that it is “deeply committed to combating antisemitism and all forms of harassment and discrimination on our campus.” It added that it will work with the Departments of Health and Human Services and Education.

Latest on the campus protests

In May, acting university president Claire Shipman asked the NYPD to help clear protestors who occupied part of the school library. The protestors were expressing their support for Mahmoud Khalil, a graduate student who was detained by ICE for leading pro-Palestinian protests.

Shipman said the incident caused “substantial chaos” as students prepared for exams. She said she witnessed a safety officer get wheeled out of the building on a gurney and saw “disturbing slogans” in the “defaced” library.

“These actions not only represented a violation of university policies, but they also posed a serious risk to our students and campus safety,” Shipman said in a video statement. “Violence and vandalism, hijacking a library, none of that has any place on our campus.”

“Columbia unequivocally rejects antisemitism and all other forms of harassment and discrimination,” Shipman added.

Acting President Shipman describes the unacceptable disruption of Butler Library, the steps the University took to address it, and the strength and determination of Columbia not to let this moment define us. pic.twitter.com/rOSpeHyCkR
— Columbia University (@Columbia) May 8, 2025

In April 2024, pro-Palestinian protestors formed a tent encampment outside the school’s library. Protestors also occupied Hamilton Hall, which prompted the university to ask the NYPD to clear the building and remain on campus until after the school’s commencement.

This investigation comes as the Trump administration continues to crack down on alleged antisemitism at Harvard. The university sued after the administration said it can no longer accept international students. Earlier in the year, the administration froze $3 billion in grants, which the university is also fighting in court.

Mathew Grisham (Digital Producer) contributed to this report.

Tags: Columbia University, Hamas, Israel, Jewish, Lawsuit, Trump administration

Why this story matters

A federal investigation found that Columbia University failed to respond adequately to harassment of Jewish students, raising questions about the university’s compliance with federal civil rights laws and the environment for student safety and inclusion.

Campus safety and response

The university's handling of protests, reports of antisemitic acts and overall student safety is under review, emphasizing the challenges academic institutions face in maintaining a safe and inclusive environment.

Protest and free expression

Campus protests, including those related to the Israel-Palestine conflict, have drawn attention to the balance between free expression and preventing harassment or violence, reflecting broader national debates.

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Synthesized coverage insights across 67 media outlets

Behind the numbers

The Department of Health and Human Services found that Columbia University had violated federal civil rights by failing to address anti-Jewish harassment, citing a 19-month period starting October 2023. The Trump administration responded by cutting $400 million in federal funding, impacting the university’s operations and research programs.

Context corner

Historically, universities have faced scrutiny over campus climate and free speech, especially during periods of heightened conflict in the Middle East. The recent spike in campus protests follows the Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023, which intensified debate over antisemitism, freedom of protest, and university policies across the United States, making this a renewed national issue.

Quote bank

"The findings carefully document the hostile environment Jewish students at Columbia University have had to endure for over 19 months, disrupting their education, safety, and well-being," stated Anthony Archeval from HHS. Columbia responded, "We are deeply committed to combating antisemitism and all forms of harassment and discrimination on our campus."

Sources

Bias comparison

Media outlets on the left framed the issue primarily as a politically motivated “attack” by the Trump administration on academia, emphasizing the administration’s role with verbs like “accuses” and “says,” which subtly inject skepticism by foregrounding the source over the findings.
Media outlets in the center focused on legal findings and policy responses without emotive framing.
Not enough coverage from media outlets in the center to provide a bias comparison.
Media outlets on the right highlighted Columbia University’s “deliberate indifference” to antisemitism and frames the government’s funding cuts and imposed reforms as justified victories, using charged language like “capitulating” and emphasizing threats to Jewish students and campus safety.

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Media landscape

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67 total sources

Key points from the Left

The Trump administration accuses Columbia University of violating the civil rights of Jewish students by "acting with deliberate indifference" toward antisemitism on campus, according to the Health and Human Services Department.
Columbia University has been found in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act for discrimination against individuals based on their actual or perceived Israeli or Jewish identity or ancestry, as stated by the civil rights division of HHS.
Columbia University is facing $400 million in federal cuts and is negotiating with the government regarding claims of antisemitism.
Anthony Archeval, acting director of the HHS civil rights office, stated that the findings document the hostile environment that Jewish students at Columbia University have faced for over 19 months.

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No coverage from Far Left sources 0 sources
No coverage from Left sources 0 sources
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Key points from the Center

The Trump administration found that Columbia University violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act by failing to protect Jewish students from harassment since October 2023.
This finding follows investigations linked to increased antisemitic incidents coinciding with the Israel-Hamas conflict and the creation of a federal task force combating antisemitism.
Columbia was accused of ignoring vandalism, not enforcing protest rules, and delaying effective antisemitism policies until mid-2024 despite extensive complaints and campus unrest.
In March 2024, the administration canceled $400 million in grants to the university and demanded new protest rules, mask bans, accountability measures, and program reviews to protect Jewish students.

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See Hide headlines from Center sources 32 sources

Key points from the Right

Columbia University violated civil rights law by acting with deliberate indifference towards harassment of Jewish students, as alleged by the Trump administration on May 22, 2025.
The university failed to investigate antisemitic vandalism and establish adequate reporting mechanisms until summer 2024, according to the Office for Civil Rights.
Due to inaction on antisemitism, Columbia University faced $400 million in federal funding cuts after the Department of Education determined it inadequately addressed antisemitism on campus.
Columbia University is accused of failing to protect Jewish students from discrimination based on race, color or national origin, violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

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