The Trump administration has launched an inquiry into the California University system, specifically over allegations of an anti-Semitic environment on campus. The Department of Justice began its investigation into whether Jewish employees were met with a "pattern or practice of discrimination" across the ten-campus system. The same week, the administration also announced the recension of $400 million of federal funding and grants distributed to Columbia University in New York City for unaddressed harassment of Jewish students.
In its investigations memo, the DOJ lamented an alarming rise in hate crimes against Jewish Americans over the past few years following Israel's invasion by Hamas on October 7, 2023. Anti-Israeli demonstrations broke out on college campuses nationwide, with pro-Hamas students often camping out in public spaces to signal their outrage over Israel's self-defense and encourage divestment from the nation.
The demonstrations were not only aggressive and demeaning to Jewish students and culture but sometimes became violent in nature. During the following school year, two students at Chicago's DePaul University were assaulted by masked assailants. Jewish members of the Columbia community were attacked outside the school library with sticks. Two University of Pittsburgh students walking in yarmulkas to service were attacked and beaten with a large glass bottle, their religious jewelry ripped from their bodies.
Equally as startling as each individual incident is the recent survey data published by the Anti-Defamation League, based on a questionnaire distributed to students in 135 colleges nationwide, meant to measure the level of campus antisemitism. Thirteen such schools received an 'F' in the report card-like rankings. While the ADL did express that a number of low-ranking schools from last year's survey had taken their input and significantly improved their scores, the overall picture remains quite bleak.
While the current DOJ investigation against California Universities focuses on the quality of life for Jewish employees rather than students, a general overhaul of policy and procedure is long overdue across the entire system. The inquiry will be aided by the newly formed federal Antisemitism Taskforce, created via executive order by President Trump to combat the rise in discrimination and violence against Jewish Americans, particularly at colleges and universities. Doing so is among the administration's top priorities, as a culture of aggression by pro-Palestinian students has been allowed for too long.
Meanwhile, Columbia University's interim President, Katrina Armstrong, has responded to the school's loss of funding by pledging to work "with the federal government to address their legitimate concerns. To that end, Columbia can, and will, continue to take serious action toward combatting antisemitism on our campus." After such extended inaction, perhaps only the actual loss of funds will inspire true change and an improvement in the quality of life for Jewish-American students.
Is President Trump's action to combat antisemitism on campuses appropriate, given the recent climate? Will a resolution for the War in Israel help?
Hilary Gunn is a Connecticut native with a degree in Criminal Justice from the George Washington University. She works for a nonprofit and has previously collaborated with the CT GOP as an activist, political campaign manager and field director, and social media organizer. She is currently serving in her fourth term of municipal office and has previously acted as a delegate on the Republican Town Committee.