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Home News Harvard Agrees To New Measures Against Antisemitism After Legal Settlements

Harvard Agrees To New Measures Against Antisemitism After Legal Settlements

by Celia

Harvard University has agreed to implement additional protections for Jewish students following a settlement announced on Tuesday. The settlement resolves two lawsuits accusing the prestigious university of fostering an environment where antisemitism is allowed to thrive.

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Under the agreement, Harvard will adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism. This includes specific examples of discrimination and harassment that will guide the university in evaluating whether actions violate its non-discrimination and anti-bullying policies. Harvard will also provide training to staff handling discrimination complaints and issue annual reports on its efforts for five years.

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The lawsuits were filed by Students Against Antisemitism and Jewish Americans for Fairness in Education, with support from the Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law. Although the university did not admit to any wrongdoing, the settlement includes unspecified financial compensation.

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The lawsuits were part of a broader wave of legal challenges against universities after the Israel-Hamas conflict erupted in October 2023. This sparked pro-Palestinian protests across U.S. campuses, which many Jewish students felt led to antisemitic actions.

Marc Kasowitz, representing Students Against Antisemitism, expressed confidence that Harvard was now committed to protecting Jewish students. He emphasized that any calls for violence against Israel or Israelis would be deemed antisemitic. “This gives us confidence that the university will protect Jewish students on campus,” he said.

Kenneth Marcus, founder of the Brandeis Center, praised the IHRA’s clear definition of antisemitism, noting its alignment with former President Donald Trump’s 2019 executive order aimed at combating antisemitism. “We expect other colleges to follow this standard,” Marcus added.

Jewish students at Harvard had accused the university of selectively enforcing its anti-discrimination policies, allowing derogatory statements and anti-Israel actions to go unpunished. These incidents included a viral “die-in” where protesters accused Israel of war crimes, and the hiring of professors who allegedly promoted antisemitism.

The university’s own task forces on antisemitism and anti-Muslim bias had also documented the campus’s struggle with discrimination, impacting both pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel students. The plaintiffs claimed Harvard violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination in institutions receiving federal funds.

As part of the settlement, Harvard has pledged to ensure that its Jewish community feels respected and supported. The university’s spokesperson reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining a welcoming and safe campus for all students.

While the settlement resolves most of the lawsuits, Alexander Kestenbaum, a plaintiff in the Students Against Antisemitism case, chose not to settle and will continue seeking compensatory damages.

Kasowitz also noted that Trump’s stance on defending Jewish students helped facilitate the settlement. Students Against Antisemitism has previously reached settlements with New York University and is pursuing similar cases against other universities, including Columbia University and the University of Pennsylvania.

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