Following Israel’s military response to Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack in Gaza, U.S. college students at universities nationwide started organizing protests, boycotts, sit-ins, and other forms of non-violent protest against continued U.S. military support to Israel. Whether or not those protesters ever intended it, many Jewish students started reporting that they felt pressured to change their…

More than 100 pro-Israeli demonstrators gathered near Columbia University on Tuesday, Aug. 27, advocating for universities to ban face masks and coverings during protests. They argued that such bans would enhance safety and address concerns about people concealing their identities to avoid arrest. Those against a face mask ban say it is a student’s right…

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s sudden withdrawal from the Arizona presidential ballot sparked speculation about a potential alliance with Donald Trump. The move has the potential to reshape the 2024 presidential race. Kennedy and his running mate, Nicole Shanahan, submitted notarized withdrawal letters to Arizona’s Secretary of State late Thursday, Aug. 22, just…

Northwestern University announced on Tuesday, Aug. 20, that it will be taking steps to combat antisemitism and Islamophobia on campus in the wake of pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel counterprotests last spring. All students will now be required to take a course on antisemitism and other forms of hate when they return to classes in September. Northwestern…

Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) issued six subpoenas to Columbia University officials, including interim President Katrina Armstrong, amid an antisemitism investigation. The House Education and Workforce Committee demands documents related to antisemitism since Oct. 7 and board of trustees’ communications on Israel. Columbia claims to have provided thousands of documents, but Foxx criticized their slow response.…

In California, college students at the state’s biggest college systems will have new free speech policies to follow as they head back for a new semester. The University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU) systems have enacted new protest regulations for the upcoming school year in response to last spring’s pro-Palestinian protests. UC…

As the fall semester approaches, U.S. colleges are rewriting protest rules to manage potential demonstrations, similar to the ones that occurred in spring of 2024. That is when hundreds of Gaza war protesters were arrested on numerous college campuses, like UCLA and Columbia, after escalating tensions led to police confrontations. Jewish students also said pro-Palestinian…

Columbia University President Minouche Shafik has resigned effective immediately. The decision announced on Wednesday, Aug. 14, comes months after student protests over the Israel-Hamas war turned destructive, leading to multiple arrests and widespread criticism over how the university handled the demonstrations. In April, more than 100 pro-Palestinian protesters were arrested, and an on-campus tent encampment was removed by New York…

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will make their first trip together since the president dropped out of the 2024 race. And Columbia University’s president becomes the latest Ivy League leader to step down following concerns of antisemitism on college campuses. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024. Biden,…

A federal judge ruled Tuesday, Aug. 13, that the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), cannot allow protesters to block Jewish students from certain parts of campus and must ensure equal campus access. UCLA is expected to appeal the ruling to the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. “In the year 2024, in the United…