Harvard’s efforts to boost its ADL campus grade and US government overreach

Antisemitism on college campuses is a genuine crisis that demands serious attention, but we are concerned about the extent and scope of the current approach taken by US President Donald Trump’s administration to Harvard.

The ADL’s forthcoming Audit of Antisemitic Incidents counted a staggering increase in incidents on campus in 2024. An ADL-Hillel poll last year found that 83 percent of Jewish college students experienced or witnessed antisemitism since the October 7 Hamas attacks. These numbers are mind-boggling. No one should look away.

Jewish students deserve the very same civil rights, the very same constitutional protections, as those provided to all other students. Slandering them as “Zionists,” blocking their entry to campus spaces, vandalizing their common spaces on campuses, committing acts of masked intimidation and outright violence under the guise of “decolonization” — these are not courageous acts of conviction. These are cowardly acts of bigotry. Unfortunately, far too many of our most prestigious universities have failed to address such offenses, let alone punish the perpetrators after the fact. The stories are legion.

When Jewish students cannot safely access education, when they face discrimination and harassment in violation of Title VI, such civil rights violations demand the same level of attention and urgency as would be applied in any other scenario. In our Campus Antisemitism Report Card, while many colleges improved their grade, far too many fell short. Just like the students enrolled in their classes, every school should aim for an A.

That’s why we support solutions that correct the problem, push universities to do better, and ultimately result in stronger, more welcoming institutions that can focus on what they do best: teaching students hungry to learn; pursuing knowledge; developing cures to the most devastating diseases; and finding solutions to our most vexing challenges.

However, any actions taken to address campus antisemitism — including the potential withholding of federal funding — must be grounded in clear evidence and conducted in a manner consistent with Title VI procedures and other laws. The penalty should be proportionate and reasonably calculated to address the antisemitism on these campuses and to protect the rights of Jewish students on campus. Denying federal funds (whether in part or in total) is an extremely serious and rightfully rare punishment that should be used only in the most severe situations with institutions incapable or unwilling to improve.

Against this backdrop, the situation at Harvard University is both simple and complex.

To be clear, there has been a serious problem of antisemitism in Cambridge for years. The ADL repeatedly raised this issue with Harvard leadership and provided clear steps to take to protect Jewish students. Often our requests fell on deaf ears — and Jewish students and staff suffered as a result. That is why the university earned an “F” on our first Campus Report card in 2024.

However, since then, Harvard has taken a set of actions that boosted its grade to a “C” this year. To be clear, this is not a grade that satisfies the ADL, nor should it satisfy anyone associated with one of the most elite universities in the world. Nonetheless, it is a step in the right direction.

The federal government recently engaged Harvard on these issues. It made a set of demands consistent with many of our longstanding requests, but it is also insisting on reforms that go far beyond ensuring the civil rights of Jewish students and faculty. For example, the government is poised with extremely severe penalties that are not connected to the issue of reducing antisemitism, such as investigating the university’s tax-exempt status.

It should be obvious, but purely punitive gestures will not lead to long-term progress. Additionally, the issue of combating antisemitism on campus should be addressed on its own process and merits. Other debates about how higher education works in the US may be important, but they can and should be resolved in separate ways from fighting antisemitism on campus.

That does not let Harvard off the hook. Far from it. The institution needs to do a demonstrably better job to ensure that Jews benefit from the same privileges and protections as those provided to all other students. Harvard will continue to suffer reputational damage and donor repercussions until supporters and the public see credible change. However, the fight against antisemitism must be about antisemitism — nothing more, nothing less.

We hope that the situation at Harvard and other universities is resolved quickly. This means that meaningful, measurable steps are identified that will ensure the civil rights of Jewish students and faculty. Once implemented by the institution, we would expect to see the resumption of funding from public and private sources for its important work serving students and life-saving research serving humanity.

Our universities are the envy of the world. They have attracted students from across the planet because of their academic excellence, their intellectual integrity and the career opportunities that they generate. Resolving the very real crisis of antisemitism should not jeopardize the entire enterprise of our system of higher education. We should be able to hold institutions accountable for protecting Jewish students, faculty, and staff while maintaining a commitment to academic freedom and independent inquiry. Again, nothing more, nothing less.