HHS Finds Columbia University in Violation of Federal Civil Rights Law Over Antisemitism

NEW YORK — The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced Thursday that Columbia University violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by acting with "deliberate indifference" toward student-on-student harassment of Jewish students since October 7, 2023. The findings, detailed in a comprehensive Notice of Violation, highlight the university's failure to address a hostile environment for Jewish students amid rising tensions on campus.

The OCR's investigation, spanning over 19 months, found Columbia University neglected to protect Jewish students from harassment based on their actual or perceived Israeli or Jewish identity or ancestry. Title VI prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin in programs receiving federal financial assistance, which includes Columbia.

The Notice of Violation outlined several key failures by the university, including:

• Failing to establish effective reporting and remediation mechanisms for antisemitism until summer 2024.
• Not adhering to its own policies when responding to Jewish students' complaints.
• Failing to investigate or punish vandalism, such as repeated swastika drawings in classrooms.
• Not enforcing time, place, and manner restrictions for protests inside academic buildings, residence halls, and libraries.

"Columbia University acted 'with deliberate indifference' toward the ongoing harassment of its Jewish students," the OCR stated, emphasizing the university's inaction created a hostile environment.

The investigation relied on witness interviews, university policies, media reports, and findings from Columbia's Task Force on Antisemitism. The announcement comes as Columbia faces scrutiny over federal funding, part of a broader Trump administration push to address campus policies, from protest responses to admissions criteria.

Columbia University has not yet publicly responded to the OCR's findings. The violation could jeopardize the university's federal funding if corrective actions are not implemented. The OCR's enforcement of Title VI underscores its role in ensuring nondiscrimination in federally funded programs, with potential implications for other institutions facing similar allegations.

Individuals who believe they have faced discrimination based on race, color, national origin, or other protected categories in HHS-funded programs can file complaints with the OCR at hhs.gov/civil-rights/filing-a-complaint.

The findings mark a significant moment for Columbia, raising questions about campus policies and the balance between free expression and student safety.