American University (AU) has 1,600 Jewish undergraduate students, representing 21% of the undergraduate student body, and 1,000 Jewish graduate students, making up 17% of the graduate student population. AU has a Hillel, Chabad, Jewish Greek life and the Meltzer Schwartzberg Center for Israel Studies (CIS).

What’s Happening on Campus?

There were many reported antisemitic incidents on campus in 2023 following October 7, including swastika vandalism on the doors of Jewish freshman students in university residence halls, a student allegedly telling a Jewish classmate that she has blood on her hands and is responsible for genocide, and a Jewish Israeli student reportedly being spit on by fellow students and having his piano recital flyer vandalized with swastikas and the words “DEATH TO THE ZIONISTS HITLER WAS RIGHT.”

In January 2024, a federal complaint was filed with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, claiming that the University was experiencing an onslaught of antisemitic incidents that had not been properly addressed.

University Policies and Responsive Action

The University updated its required course for first-year students for the Spring 2024 semester to better address antisemitism. Experts from the University’s Polarization and Extremism Research Innovation Lab (PERIL) are conducting training for faculty on how to disrupt hate, including antisemitism.

University leaders have also met repeatedly with Jewish students and campus organizations — including Hillel student leaders and the campus Hillel Board — to address concerns pertaining to campus antisemitism. AU is also participating in Hillel’s Campus Climate Initiative.

In January 2024, the University implemented actions outlining prohibited student and student group behavior at university-sponsored events and restrictions on protest locations.