This guide outlines expectations for faculty conduct regarding antisemitic discrimination and harassment, provides practical strategies for maintaining inclusive classroom and research environments, and supports faculty in understanding both their legal obligations and their role in fostering a respectful academic community.

Context and Rationale

Antisemitism has become a growing challenge across higher education, affecting classroom dynamics, departmental culture, and the overall sense of belonging for Jewish students, faculty, and staff. Incidents often arise not only through explicit harassment but also through curricular framing, rhetoric that dismisses or politicizes Jewish identity, or environments where harmful stereotypes go unchallenged. These patterns undermine academic integrity and create barriers to equal participation.

Faculty play a pivotal role in shaping how students engage with identity, conflict, and debate. Their choices - whether in designing syllabi, facilitating discussions, moderating classroom tensions, or communicating in public and professional settings - carry significant influence. When faculty set clear expectations, model intellectual rigor, and intervene early when bias emerges, they can significantly reduce antisemitism and help students navigate sensitive issues respectfully and constructively.

A concise set of expectations and strategies equips faculty with the tools they need to uphold civil rights protections, support inclusive learning environments, and prevent the normalization of harmful rhetoric. This guide is designed to provide that support and to help foster campus climates grounded in academic responsibility and mutual respect.

Defining Antisemitism in Academic Settings

For the purposes of this guide, antisemitism is understood as follows: “Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”

It is essential to provide a clear definition because campus-based antisemitism has risen at an unprecedented rate. In ADL’s 2024 Audit of Antisemitic Incidents, incidents on college and university campuses rose more steeply than those in any other location, with 1,694 antisemitic incidents being recorded on college campuses - an 84% increase compared to 2023. Campus incidents accounted for 18% of all incidents nationwide, the largest proportion ever recorded by the Audit.

Student experiences reflect this escalation. In ADL’s fall 2024 survey, 83.2% of Jewish college students reported experiencing or witnessing some form of antisemitism since the October 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel. A slight majority of non-Jewish students (51.4%) also reported experiencing or witnessing antisemitism during that period, indicating a broader deterioration of campus climate.

Faculty perceptions show similar patterns. In ADL’s September 2025 report with the Academic Engagement Network, 73.2% of surveyed faculty reported observing anti-Jewish activities or statements from faculty, administrators, or staff, while 79.9% reported observing such conduct among students.

Against this backdrop, faculty benefit from clear guidance on how to distinguish legitimate academic inquiry from conduct or rhetoric that manifests as antisemitism. Academic freedom permits robust critique of governments, ideologies, and policies, including of the Israeli government. Such critique is legitimate when it is evidence-based, framed in scholarly terms, and does not promote double standards or target individuals on the basis of identity. However, ways in which conduct and rhetoric crosses into antisemitism is outlined below.

How Antisemitism Manifests

In higher education, antisemitism may appear in explicit or subtle forms. This includes:

Stereotypes (for example, claims that Jews are greedy, wealthy, manipulative, or “control the media”).
Holocaust denial, distortion, or trivialization, including minimizing its scale or historical significance.
The use of symbols such as swastikas.
Vandalism or violence directed at Jewish people, student groups, property, or religious facilities.
Exclusion based on Jewish identity, religious practice, ancestry, or physical appearance.
Using “Zionist” as a code word to attack, target, or intimidate Jewish students or faculty.
Treating Jews or Israelis differently than their non-Jewish classmates, co-workers or other counterparts.

Key Insight: Antisemitism is not just about hate - it's about scapegoating, conspiracy theories, and exclusion of Jews from public life or equal treatment. Real-life examples of antisemitic activities, on campuses and beyond, can be seen on the ADL H.E.A.T. Map™.

How Antisemitism Can Appear in Academic Environments

While serious, overt incidents are prevalent, much of the antisemitism seen in academic settings emerges through subtle rhetoric, framing, or power dynamics, such as:

Singling out Jewish or Israeli students to justify or explain geopolitical events.
Presenting conspiracy theories or antisemitic tropes as academic analysis.
Allowing classroom discussions to normalize dehumanizing language or collective accusations.
Circulating course material that denies or distorts historical facts, including about the Holocaust.
Excluding Jewish students or faculty from academic spaces or opportunities because of their perceived political views or heritage.
Treating Jewish concerns about discrimination as political disagreements, rather than recognizing them as a civil rights issue and identity-based harm.
Allowing jokes, sarcasm, or “ironic” comments that play on stereotypes about Jewish wealth, influence, or dual loyalty to go unaddressed in seminars or departmental chats.
Discouraging Jewish individuals from participating in certain events or research opportunities on the assumption that their identity makes them biased or unwelcome.
Pressuring students to adopt a particular political position in order to succeed in a class, especially when the “correct” answer involves denying or minimizing Jewish identity, history, or security concerns.
Treating Jewish student organizations as inherently suspect or politically problematic, rather than as cultural, ethnic, or religious communities similar to others on campus.
Responding dismissively when Jewish students raise concerns about discriminatory conduct, suggesting they are overreacting, misunderstanding, seeking to improperly limit speech or academic freedom, or “bringing politics into academics.”

Why Clear Definitions Matter

Clear, shared definitions help faculty navigate difficult conversations, support students and colleagues effectively, and ensure consistent handling of bias incidents. They reinforce that academic freedom and academic responsibility are mutually reinforcing: rigorous inquiry requires environments that are safe, inclusive, and free from identity-based discrimination and harassment.

Core Faculty Responsibilities

Faculty play a critical role in shaping the academic and social climate of a university. Their conduct - whether in the classroom, in research, or in public forums - directly affects whether Jewish students and colleagues can participate fully in campus life. The following responsibilities outline the standards faculty are expected to uphold to ensure campus environments are free from antisemitism, bias, and identity-based exclusion.

Maintaining an Inclusive Learning Environment

Faculty are responsible for fostering classrooms where all students feel safe to participate without fear of stereotyping, targeting, or marginalization. This includes:

Setting clear expectations for respectful, evidence-based discussion, especially on topics involving identity, religion, conflict, or geopolitics.
Intervening promptly and appropriately when conversations rely on antisemitic tropes, coded language, or identity-based generalizations.
Ensuring that no student is singled out or pressured to speak on behalf of all Jews, Israelis, or Zionists - and, more broadly, that no student is ever placed in a position where they must represent an entire community or identity group rather than speak as an individual.
Addressing student concerns seriously and directing students to appropriate support services when identity-based harm is alleged.

Inclusive environments protect academic freedom by ensuring debate does not silence certain views or become threatening or intimidating.

Ensuring Responsibility in Curriculum and Course Materials

Because faculty design syllabi and select readings, they must ensure that course content promotes academic rigor and debate rather than bias. Faculty should:

Present multiple credible scholarly perspectives when teaching about Judaism, Israel, Zionism, conflict, identity, and any topics in the classroom.
Avoid assigning sources that contain conspiracy theories, antisemitic tropes, or Holocaust distortion unless they are critically framed and contextualized.
Clarify distinctions between academic critique of governmental policy and rhetoric that targets people based on identity.
Ensure that assignments or discussions do not require students to adopt political positions or viewpoints that undermine Jewish identity or self-determination.
Avoid introducing unrelated claims about the Jewish community or Israel into coursework or discussions when they have no relevance to the subject matter.

Thoughtful course design - including identifying relevant materials and sensitive issues from the outset, selecting academically credible and diverse sources, and establishing clear norms for how controversial topics will be approached - helps prevent classroom discussions from inadvertently normalizing harmful narratives.

Professional Conduct and Public Expression

Faculty wield influence not only in class but also in departmental discussions, public scholarship, and professional digital spaces. They are expected to:

Distinguish clearly between scholarly analysis and personal political positions when communicating in academic settings.
Avoid rhetoric - whether spoken, written, or online - that praises violence, deploys antisemitic stereotypes, or delegitimizes Jewish identity.
Maintain neutrality when assessing student work, ensuring that grades, mentorship, and recommendations are not influenced by identity or politics.

Professional integrity reinforces trust in faculty as stewards of academic standards.

Upholding Research Integrity and Scholarly Standards

When faculty engage in research related to Jewish identity, antisemitism, Israel, or related topics, they must adhere to best practices. This includes:

Ensuring source credibility and avoiding research that relies on essentializing stereotypes or conspiratorial narratives about Jewish people.
Seeking internal or external peer review when working on sensitive or high-impact issues involving identity or conflict.
Avoiding the legitimization of extremist groups, Holocaust denial, or rhetoric that denies the right of the Jewish people to self-determination.
Remaining mindful of how research framing may influence campus climate, reinforce bias, or promote harassment.

High scholarly standards protect the integrity of academic inquiry and promote responsible engagement with sensitive topics.

Practical Classroom Strategies

Faculty play a central role in cultivating learning environments where difficult conversations can occur without crossing into harassment or discrimination. The following strategies support academic rigor while safeguarding student dignity and mutual respect.

Establish Classroom Norms Early

Clearly outline expectations for respectful dialogue in the syllabus and on the first day of class.
Emphasize that critique must be directed at opinions and arguments - not identities or groups.
Affirm that no student will be required or presumed to speak for an entire identity group or political position.

Provide Balanced and Contextualized Materials

Select readings that represent diverse, credible scholarly perspectives.
Offer historical context when addressing Judaism, Israel, Zionism, or Middle Eastern politics to avoid oversimplification.
Avoid assigning sources rooted in conspiracy theories without explicit critical framing.

Moderate Discussions with Care

Intervene when rhetoric becomes hostile, targeted, or identity-based.
Redirect conversations that rely on stereotypes or collective accusations.
Facilitate structured dialogue when tensions arise, ensuring space for all students to participate safely and respectfully.

Support Students Privately and Professionally

Invite students to raise concerns privately if they feel uncomfortable.
Acknowledge and validate student experiences without politicizing them.
Direct students to campus support services as needed.

Model Academically Responsible Speech

Share political views cautiously, recognizing your influence and power in the classroom.
Distinguish clearly between scholarly analysis and personal opinion.
Maintain neutrality when evaluating student work, regardless of identity or political perspective.

These strategies help ensure that rigorous academic debate does not devolve into identity- based bias or exclusion.

Reporting Mechanisms and Faculty Support

Faculty play a crucial role in ensuring that antisemitic incidents - whether occurring in classrooms, departmental spaces, or elsewhere on campus - are identified, reported, investigated, and addressed through the appropriate channels. Because many Jewish students do not report incidents due to confusion, lack of confidence in the reporting processes or fear of retaliation, faculty can help bridge this gap by knowing how the system works and by meeting their ethical and legal obligations to report to the university.

As well as reporting directly to the university, incident reports to ADL can be made via: https://www.adl.org/report-incident. Incident reports to ADL’s Legal Action Network can be made via: https://www.adl.org/adl-legal-action

Knowing Where and How to Report

Faculty should be familiar with the campus’s reporting procedures for harassment and discrimination, including the various reporting channels and mechanisms for student and faculty complaints that may exist on campus.

Faculty should report incidents when they:

Observe antisemitic language or conduct in class, office hours, or academic events or elsewhere on campus.
Receive student concerns or complaint about antisemitic discrimination, harassment or bias.
Encounter concerning materials or conduct from colleagues, staff, or guest speakers.

Faculty do not need to determine whether an incident qualifies as a policy or legal violation or constitutes prohibited harassment; reporting allows trained personnel to make that assessment.

Supporting Students in the Reporting Process

Students often hesitate to report incidents due to uncertainty, lack of confidence in the reporting process, fear of backlash, or not knowing where to go.

Faculty can support reporting by:

Clearly informing students where the reporting link or form is located (syllabus, campus website, Code of Conduct, etc.).
Normalizing help-seeking and reassuring students that retaliation is prohibited.
Offering to walk students through the process or help them document the incident.
Encouraging reporting even when a student is unsure whether conduct “counts.”

Faculty should avoid positioning themselves as the investigator or decisionmaker; the goal is to help students access the appropriate institutional process.

Documenting Classroom or Academic Incidents

When faculty witness or receive information about a concerning incident, they should gather basic information and documentation before submitting a report:

What happened (exact language or behavior if possible)?
When and where did it occur?
Who was involved or present?
How did the student(s) or colleague(s) respond?
Is there physical, digital, or written evidence?

Concise documentation strengthens the accuracy of the report and helps the institution respond more timely and effectively.

Consulting Campus Experts

Faculty should know whom to contact for guidance before or after making a report, especially when unsure how to interpret an incident. This may include:

The Title VI or VII Coordinator/Office (recommended as a central point of oversight).
The Office of Equity or Civil Rights.
Bias Response teams trained on identifying different forms of discrimination.
The Human Resources department.

Consultation is not the same as filing a report but can help faculty navigate next steps responsibly.

Following Up After Reporting

Faculty should understand what typically happens after a report is submitted:

A case number or acknowledgment is usually provided to the complainant, allowing them to track the report.
Investigative offices may reach out to the complainant or faculty member for additional information.
Faculty should maintain confidentiality and avoid discussing the matter with others beyond providing care and support to affected parties.
Faculty should not promise complainants specific outcomes; investigations have defined processes and timelines.

Promoting Awareness in the Classroom

Faculty can reinforce the institution’s reporting culture by:

Including the reporting link and procedures in syllabi and course introductions.
Reminding students that bias, harassment, and discrimination - including antisemitism - can and should be reported.
Making clear that students do not have to navigate the process alone: faculty can serve as a supportive resource for students who choose to report, whether by talking through concerns, helping them understand available options, or pointing them to the appropriate office.
Reassuring students that seeking help or filing a report is a legitimate and protected action, and that the institution prohibits retaliation.

Proactive communication helps reduce the silence and uncertainty that often prevent Jewish students from reporting concerns and seeking help.

Faculty participation in reporting helps the institution identify patterns, respond to issues, and improve campus systems and climate. By engaging actively with reporting systems, faculty help create an environment where antisemitism is neither normalized nor ignored.

Recommended Support and Continuing Education

Preventing antisemitism and supporting inclusive academic environments requires ongoing learning. Institutions should provide faculty with accessible, high-quality resources, such as:

Training and Workshops

Seminars on antisemitism and identity-based discrimination and harassment.
Inclusive pedagogy workshops focused on facilitating difficult dialogues.
Sessions on recognizing and addressing conspiracy theories, extremist narratives, and misinformation.
ADL Resources:
1. Virtual Training on Antisemitism.
2. 10 Ways to Have Conscientious Conversations on the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.
3. Think. Plan. Act: Tools for Dealing with Antisemitic and Anti-Israel Incidents on Campus.
4. ‘Know Your Rights’ Title VI Factsheet
5. ‘Know Your Rights’ Title VII Factsheet

Campus Partnerships

Collaboration with reputable Jewish organizations.
Engagement with Hillel, Chabad, and other Jewish, multicultural or interfaith centers.
Consultation with campus civil rights offices and Title VI and VII coordinators, where such coordinators exist.

Scholarly and Practical Resources

Reading lists that include reputable scholarship on Jewish history, antisemitism, and the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Guides to evaluating sources and addressing bias in curricular design.
Case studies or scenarios for faculty discussion and professional development.
ADL Resources:

Faculty Community of Practice

Regular opportunities for faculty to share strategies, discuss challenges, and learn from each other.
Departmental working groups focused on balancing academic freedom with equitable and inclusive practices.
Resources:

Faculty Conduct: Addressing Antisemitism in Higher Education