As claims have started to hit colleges and universities for facilitating racist demonstrations last spring, Columbia University President Minouche Shafik  announced her departure next week. Since pro-Palestinian protests erupted on college campuses next drop, she is now the second leader of an Ivy League institution to have resigned or left. Some included the University of Pennsylvania President , Liz Magill, Harvard University President , Claudine Gay, and Martha Pollack, the leader of Cornell University. Peter , Salovey, the chairman of Yale, stepped down in June.
Shafik received a lot of negative feedback for her inability to handle hatred at Columbia and her timid reaction to the campus ‘ pro-Palestinian encampment, which caused panic and problems for weeks. Some of the demonstrators even unlawfully held a receptionist captive inside a school, a tactic that resembles something from the Hamas criminal organization’s playbook. The school moved all courses online and eventually canceled the school’s principal commencement service, a major blow to students and their families, who deserved a party for such an important life step.
Pro-Palestinian activists established related” Gaza Solidarity Encampments” at several other prestigious colleges and universities, compromising the health of many Jewish kids. University officials were both afraid or ignorant to fulfill their duties, including maintaining law and order, addressing hatred, and protecting Jewish individuals.
A donor uprising has resulted from the pro-Palestinian protests on schools and school leaders ‘ subpar reactions. Jon Huntsman, a former chancellor and present Chinese adviser, informed Penn that” the Huntsman Foundation will near its cash on all prospect giving to Penn.” Leslie Wexner’s base, a former Victor’s Key businessman, ended their partnership and financial backing for Harvard University and the Harvard Kennedy School.
Three officials were exposed for exchanging a number of racist language communications during a section on campus Israeli life in June, which set Columbia University on fire once more. This discovery pointed to the root cause of Columbia’s hatred: the people in charge. The incident, which drastically damaged the school’s position, underscores the immediate need for action.
Amidst the administration resignations and benefactor revolts, wealthy schools are now facing a new problem: claims. Just in time for a new school year, a federal judge ruled that the University of California, Los Angeles , must uphold equitable access to applications, activities, and school places for all students, including Israeli students.
Next spring, UCLA witnessed some of the most problematic pro-Palestinian demonstrations in the country. The pro-Palestinian protesters established encampments and checkpoints around the so-called Jewish Exclusion Zone, preventing” Zionists” ( any Jewish students  , supporting the existence of Israel ) from going to classes, the library, and other parts of campus.  , A lawsuit alleges that UCLA officials, who are expected to ensure the safety and well-being of all learners, contributed to these improper camps and checkpoints, “both by providing material obstacles and by sending away Israeli students—while taking no effective action to ensure safe passage for Israeli students”.
Between late April and the beginning of May, violent clashes broke out between pro-Israel protesters and pro-Palestinian protesters. More than 200 people were detained by the Los Angeles Police Department at the conclusion of the conflict. In response to this, UCLA initially canceled classes before moving its classes online.
In June, Becket Law and Clement and Murphy PLLC  , filed a lawsuit,  , Frankel v. Regents of the University of California, on behalf of three current UCLA Jewish students. The lawsuit requested that the court “put an immediate stop to UCLA’s actions so that they could return to class without fear that they would be harassed and excluded because they are Jewish.” In response, UNC claimed that Jewish students have nothing to fear when classes begin this fall and that a court should n’t tell the school how to deal with protests.
On Aug. 13,  , U. S. District Judge Mark Scarsi, a Trump appointee, issued a preliminary injunction set to take effect on Aug. 15, mandating UCLA to provide equal access for Jewish and non-Jewish students alike. According to the injunction, UCLA must stop providing access to all students if Jewish students are barred from certain activities, campus activities, or other areas.
With this memorable passage, which is worth quoting in full, Judge Scarsi further smacked down UCLA administrators in his opinion.
In the year 2024, in the United States of America, in the State of California, in the City of Los Angeles,  , Jewish students were excluded from portions of the UCLA campus because they refused to denounce their faith. Jewish students were barred from certain areas of the UCLA campus because they refused to denounce their faith because this is so absurd and objectionable. This is undisputed by UNCLA. Instead, UCLA asserts that because the exclusion was pushed aside by outsiders, it has no obligation to protect the religious freedom of its Jewish students. However, UCLA may not offer services to some students under the law when UCLA is aware that other students are excluded on religious grounds, regardless of who was the subject of the exclusion.
Scarsi’s ruling came less than a week after U. S. District Judge , Richard G. Stearns denied Harvard University’s motion to dismiss a lawsuit. The lawsuit, filed by a group of Jewish students, alleges that Harvard has failed to protect Jewish students from antisemitism.
Stearns rejected Harvard’s claim that halting pro-Palestinian demonstrations on campus would violate students ‘ First Amendment rights. According to Judge Stearns, it is “dubious that Harvard can hide behind the First Amendment” and that” the facts as pled show that Harvard failed its Jewish students.” The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expressions ( FIRE ) gave Harvard University the lowest score in the 2023 College Free Speech rankings.  ,
The rulings of Scarsi and Stearns are encouraging news for Jewish students and a warning to college and university administrators all over the country. As former Attorney General Bill Barr points out,” when it comes to combating antisemitism, talk is cheap”. If administrators of colleges and universities permit antisemitic behavior to disrupt campus campuses and violate Jewish students ‘ constitutional rights, they will continue to face growing legal scrutiny.
Let’s see if college and university administrators can find moral clarity and the courage to act morally this time around as another school year approaches.
