Dear Campus Administrators,
For more than a year, we have been urging campus leaders to make plans to address rising antisemitism on campus, in line with your obligations under Title VI and the recommendations of the U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism. Since the horrific, murderous attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7, 2023, we have been sounding the alarm that antisemitism on campus would likely increase and that strong, swift action would be necessary. During the 2023-2024 academic year, we recorded more than 1,400 antisemitic incidents on campuses across the nation, a staggering number that – like statistics for hate crimes and bias incidents generally – almost certainly represents a significant undercounting.
The new academic year is underway, and although we have been pleased to see many schools meaningfully strengthen their policies and procedures, and set clear expectations for acceptable conduct on campus for the upcoming year, over the course of just the past two weeks, Jewish students on campus have already been the targets of acts of vandalism, harassment and even violent attacks.
We unfortunately predict that things will only get worse. The coming anniversary of the October 7 attack, especially on the heels of the murder of six hostages, will likely motivate many on campus to gather in community to mourn and mark the solemn anniversary. At the same time, we know that preparations have already been made by anti-Israel student groups to stage large-scale protests and/or invite highly controversial speakers to campus on that day. We also anticipate that students on many campuses will start to rebuild encampments or similar physical impediments on campus – like mock checkpoints – to disrupt campus life. Even peaceful protests in line with all campus guidelines may be traumatic to Jewish communities on campus who view that as a day of mourning. There also is significant likelihood that conflicting events, especially on or around October 7, could result in altercations and even violence.
We understand that many colleges and universities, especially public institutions, value the right to free speech on campus. But we also know, as the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights has continually underscored, that even protected speech can contribute to a hostile environment. For these reasons, it is critically important that colleges and universities take steps to prepare now for what is to come.
First, put in place contingency plans for how (and whether) requests to demonstrate, protest or hold vigils on October 7 will be granted. Make clear to students that any violations of campus policies will be taken incredibly seriously. If protests are scheduled on or around October 7, ensure that there is ample security to protect all members of the campus community and to prevent altercations between parties to competing events.
Second, use your own voice to condemn antisemitism and hate and show solidarity with students who are grieving.
Finally, be sure to coordinate with local law enforcement and ensure any violations of rules governing campus activities and protests are enforced immediately.
Even with clear communication and advance preparation, the potential for conflict and disruptive activity is very real. We hope that planning and preparation will help to avoid the types of escalating incidents of vandalism, harassment and even violence we witnessed last year and will prevent the further infliction of trauma on an already grieving community.