Cornell University has 3,000 Jewish undergraduate students, representing 25% of the undergraduate student population, and 500 Jewish graduate students represent 5% of the graduate student body. There is a Hillel, Chabad, Jewish Greek life organizations and the Center for Jewish Living, a student-run residence hall program offering religious services, kosher food and social programming.

What’s Happening on Campus?

Cornell faced several of the most high-profile antisemitic incidents on campus last fall, including when a student threatened to shoot and stab Jewish students and attack the campus’ kosher dining hall.  In addition, a Cornell professor said at a campus rally that he was “exhilarated” by the October 7 Hamas terrorist attacks against Israel. Incidents of antisemitism and other forms of discrimination and harassment prompted the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights to open a Title VI investigation against Cornell.

There have also been consistent disruptions to campus life due to anti-Zionist protests.

University Policies and Responsive Action

The student who threatened members of the Jewish community and the kosher dining hall is being prosecuted, and the professor who spoke at the campus rally took a leave of absence.

The University has undertaken a review of public safety operations, launched a new lecture series exploring critical issues around antisemitism and anti-Muslim hate, created two advisory groups, and is organizing trainings. Cornell also released a new policy clarifying that protests may not compromise the safety of others or interfere with University operations, and a policy forbidding the release of personal information of students or staff used or intended to threaten or intimidate others. The school has also spoken out against professors promoting personal beliefs in class, and President Martha Pollack has been consistently outspoken with respect to denouncing antisemitism on campus.

In May 2024, an 18-day encampment led to the suspension of six students, but no major incidents or arrests took place. Following the end of the encampment, President Pollack was criticized for expressing gratitude to the protestors for remaining peaceful.