U.S. Colleges, AJC Commit Fighting Campus Antisemitism Amid Funding Disputes

Antisemitism on college campuses remains a significant concern, sparking a range of responses from advocacy groups, universities, and lawmakers. The American Jewish Committee (AJC) and over 1,600 colleges have pledged reforms to fight campus antisemitism while urging the Trump administration to continue prioritizing its eradication without compromising academic freedom or institutional autonomy. However, this approach has faced criticism from groups like the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA), which argues that the Trump administration's measures, including cutting federal funding to universities with antisemitic environments, are necessary and effective, and that calls for protecting academic freedom risk undermining real progress. In the UK, a report by StandWithUs UK highlights widespread antisemitism in universities, including threats and racist symbols, and calls for government intervention to treat anti-Jewish racism as seriously as other forms of discrimination. In the U.S., House Republicans have intensified their scrutiny of campus antisemitism, equating it with a public safety and moral issue, and advocating for severe consequences, including the loss of federal funds for universities that fail to protect Jewish students. This complex debate centers on balancing the fight against antisemitism with concerns over academic freedom, due process, and the appropriate role of federal intervention in higher education.