Harvard settles lawsuits over antisemitism on campus

By Jonathan Stempel

(Reuters) -Harvard University volition supply further protections for Jewish students nether a colony announced connected Tuesday that resolves 2 lawsuits accusing the Ivy League schoolhouse of becoming a hotbed of rampant antisemitism.

Harvard said it volition follow the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance explanation of antisemitism, including circumstantial examples of favoritism and harassment, erstwhile evaluating whether behaviour violates its non-discrimination and anti-bullying policies.

The assemblage volition besides code Frequently Asked Questions astir its policies online, study annually for 5 years connected its enforcement efforts, and supply grooming connected combating antisemitism to unit who reappraisal favoritism complaints.

Harvard's colony resolves a suit by Students Against Antisemitism, and a suit by Jewish Americans for Fairness successful Education and the Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law.

Both lawsuits were among galore accusing large universities of encouraging antisemitism aft warfare broke retired betwixt Israel and Hamas successful October 2023, starring to respective months of pro-Palestinian protests connected American assemblage campuses.

Marc Kasowitz, a lawyer for Students Against Antisemitism, successful an interrogation said helium had "great confidence" that Harvard was committed to protecting its Jewish students, including those targeted simply for supporting Israel.

"Statements astir destroying the authorities of Israel, murdering Israelis, and that benignant of happening are antisemitic statements," helium said. "That gives america assurance that these measures are going to beryllium very, precise protective of the interests and rights of Jewish students connected the Harvard campus."

HARVARD PLEDGES A 'WELCOMING' CAMPUS

Jewish students accused Harvard of selectively enforcing its anti-discrimination policies, including by tolerating their being maligned arsenic "murderers" and subjected to a viral "die-in" wherever attendees accused Israel of warfare crimes.

They besides accused Harvard of hiring professors who promoted anti-Jewish unit and dispersed antisemitic propaganda.

Last June, Harvard task forces connected antisemitism and anti-Muslim bias each recovered a Cambridge, Massachusetts field beset by favoritism and harassment, including toward radical with pro-Palestinian arsenic good arsenic pro-Israel views.

Both lawsuits accused Harvard of violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bars national funds recipients from allowing favoritism based connected race, religion and nationalist origin.

The FAQ includes a connection recognizing that galore Jews see Zionism portion of their identity, and that favoritism oregon harassment targeting Jewish and Israeli radical tin besides interruption Harvard's argumentation if directed toward Zionists.

"We are committed to ensuring our Jewish assemblage is embraced, respected and tin thrive astatine Harvard," a assemblage spokesperson said successful a statement.

"We are resolute successful our efforts to face antisemitism and volition proceed to instrumentality robust steps to support a welcoming, open, and harmless field situation wherever each pupil feels a consciousness of belonging," the spokesperson added.

Both settlements see unspecified monetary terms. Harvard did not admit wrongdoing.

TRUMP'S IMPACT

Alexander Kestenbaum, a Harvard Divinity School pupil and plaintiff successful the Students Against Antisemitism lawsuit, did not settee and volition support seeking compensatory damages. His caller lawyers did not instantly respond to requests for comment.

The colony came aft a national justice successful Boston refused to disregard some lawsuits.

Kasowitz said President Donald Trump's statements astir however his medication would protecting Jewish students' rights was "certainly helpful" successful reaching the settlement.

Students Against Antisemitism settled akin litigation against New York University past July, and Kasowitz said the radical was pleased that field beingness for Jewish students determination has "dramatically improved."

The radical is inactive pursuing Title VI cases against Columbia University and the University of Pennsylvania. Those schools did not instantly respond to requests for comment. Harvard did not instantly respond to a petition for further comment.