Campus Watch November 9, 2023

Brandeis University Bans SJP Chapter

Brandeis University banned their Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) chapter from campus on November 6.

Jewish Insider obtained a letter from the university to the SJP chapter; the letter stated: “The National SJP has called on its chapters to engage in conduct that supports Hamas in its call for the violent elimination of Israel and the Jewish people. These tactics are not protected by the University’s Principles. As a result, the University made the decision that the Brandeis chapter of the National SJP must be unrecognized and will no longer be eligible to receive funding, be permitted to conduct activities on campus, or use the Brandeis name and logo in promoting itself or its activities, including through social media channels.”

The Brandeis SJP chapter announced in an Instagram post that they had been “de-chartered” from the university. “We recognize that such a decision is purely racist and goes against the values of Brandeis University, an organization that was built to fight racism in higher education,” the post stated. 

Pro-Palestinian Protesters Surround Jewish Student at Harvard While Shouting “Shame! Shame!”

A group of pro-Palestinian protesters can be seen surrounding a Jewish student at Harvard while shouting “Shame! Shame!” at him in video footage that has gone viral on social media.

The protesters can be seen holding their keffiyehs in front of the student and try to prevent him from leaving. The footage is reportedly from an October 18 “die-in” held by pro-Palestinian protesters on campus that was dubbed as “Stop the genocide in Gaza.” The Harvard Crimson reported at the time: “During the die-in, a man began to film demonstrator’s faces. Within minutes, he was escorted out by protest organizers, who blocked his camera with their keffiyehs — traditional scarves worn by Palestinians that have come to symbolize Palestinian nationalism. Demonstrators yelled ‘shame’ at the disruptor as he left.”

Harvard Business School Dean Srikant Datar addressed the incident in an October 24 statement that said in part: “The pro-Palestinian demonstration that crossed from Cambridge onto our campus last Wednesday, which included a troubling confrontation between one of our MBA students and a subset of the protestors, has left many of our students shaken. Reports have been filed with HUPD [Harvard University Police Department] and the FBI, the facts are being evaluated, and it will be some time before we learn the results of an investigation.”

UMass Amherst Student Arrested for Allegedly Punching Jewish Student Holding Israeli Flag

A student at the University of Massachusetts (UMass) Amherst was arrested on November 3 for allegedly punching a Jewish student holding an Israeli flag.

The victim, Dylan Jacobs, told Jewish Insider (JI) that he was helping set up a vigil by UMass Hillel to honor those being held hostage by Hamas when the suspect came and started giving people the middle finger. At one point, the suspect started waving a Palestinian flag, so Jacobs responded by waving an Israeli flag. The suspect responded by allegedly punching Jacobs in the  head and kicking him in the chest multiple times; the suspect also allegedly destroyed the Israeli flag with a knife. The suspect, who pleaded not guilty, was released on bail on the condition that he is barred from campus.

Columbia University Announces Antisemitism Task Force, Doxing Resource Group

Columbia University announced the creation of an antisemitism task force and a Doxing Resource Group on November 1.

Columbia President Minouche Safik, Barnard College President Laura Rosenbury and Teacher College President Thomas Bailey said in a statement that the task force will be headed by a handful of professors and “will identify practical ways for our safety and inclusion work to enhance support for all members of the Columbia, Barnard, and Teachers College communities, particularly our Jewish students. Longer term, it will recommend more ambitious changes related to academic and extracurricular offerings and student, faculty, and staff training programs.” 

In a separate statement, Safik and Rosenbury said that the establishment of the Doxing Resource Group is in response to “disturbing incidents in which trucks have circled the Columbia campus displaying and publicizing the names and photos of Arab, Muslim, and Palestinian students.” The group will be operational until the end of month, at which point Columbia and Barnard “will reassess our efforts to ensure that our work meets your needs.”

Secretary of Education Warns Schools They Could Lose Federal Funding If They Don’t Address Antisemitism, Islamophobia

Department of Education Secretary Miguel Cardona told CNN on November 6 that his department is sending guidance to schools and colleges reminding them that they must fight against antisemitism, Islamophobia and other forms of discrimination or else lose federal funding under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.

He also said that since October 7, the department has received “eight or nine” Title VI complains regarding antisemitism and Islamophobia and is asking for more money to deal with the backlog. “If we have to withhold dollars from a campus refusing to comply, we would,” Cardona told CNN.