April 15, 2025, New York, NY – After a year and a half marked by escalating, and at times violent, expressions of antisemitism at Harvard, Columbia University, and other campuses across the country, it has become clear that old standards and approaches are no longer sufficient. The response must rise to meet the urgency of the moment.
Jewish students have been bullied and vilified, many of them have had to hide their Jewish identity and have expressed fear for their safety and wellbeing on campuses. The freedom to attend universities and to live in a threat-free campus should not be a luxury in 2025 America.
It is important that we protect open dialogue, academic freedom, and institutional independence of American universities. At the same time, we cannot turn a blind eye, as some of these institutions have, to the need to protect Jewish students and faculty. Antisemitism poses a direct threat to the very principles of openness and intellectual freedom that universities are meant to uphold.
Josh Gruenbaum, commissioner of the Federal Acquisition Service in the General Services Administration, stated that the “Administration has proven that [they] will take swift action to hold institutions accountable if they allow antisemitism to fester.” We appreciate this commitment to not giving leeway to academic institutions that permit antisemitism to persist.
Unfortunately, the need for federal action became evident in light of the widespread past inaction, or outright failure, by the leadership of academic institutions to protect Jewish students, despite repeated calls to do so.
Some may debate the scope of the federal funding reviews for universities announced by the Administration – and there is room for debate – but what is important is to acknowledge that these measures have finally prompted universities to finally start dealing with the campus antisemitism crisis and begin engaging with solutions.
