Northwestern University

Campus Antisemitism Report Card (Beta) > Northwestern University

Northwestern University

Grade

F

Failing

Active Litigation/Investigation
Recent Anti-Zionist Student Government Activity
Participant in CCI
Active Jewish Life
Recent Action Taken

Northwestern University’s 1,200 undergraduate Jewish students represent 14% of the undergraduate student body; its 1,000 Jewish graduate students represent 7% of the graduate student population. Northwestern has a Hillel, Chabad, Jewish Greek life organizations, and the Crown Family Center for Jewish and Israel Studies. 

 

What’s Happening on Campus?

 

There have been several recent incidents, including anti-Israel protests and distribution of a fake campus newspaper with antisemitic and anti-Israel rhetoric. A student’s article expressing her Jewish pride and calling out antisemitism was turned into an anti-Israel banner hung from the campus library. In November, there were incidents where mezuzahs were ripped from dorm room door frames.  

In January 2024, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights announced that it had opened a Title VI investigation.

In April 2024, the Northwestern Associated Student Government Senate voted in favor of adding its signature to a resolution calling for divestment from Israel. Later in the month, pro-Palestinian protestors and agitators erected an encampment hours after the University updated its codes of conduct prohibiting the encampment. The encampment was supported and publicized by the U.S. Palestinian Community Network (USPCN), which has expressed support for terror against Israel and fueled antisemitism on campus. Protestors chanted “Long live the Intifada,” and, “Hey hey, ho ho, Zionists have got to go,” and displaying signs with language understood by Jews as threatening to their safety. The University ultimately rewarded the protesters’ violations of campus policies by entering into an “agreement” with them, pursuant to which the school will provide more transparency regarding investments, provide and renovate a house for MENA/Muslim students, and fund a certain number of Palestinian faculty and cover tuition for a certain number of Palestinian undergraduates.

 

University Policies and Responsive Action

 

President Michael Schill has made several statements on the conflict, after initially failing to make an official statement immediately after the Hamas attack on Israel. One of the statements rejects the “From the River to the Sea” slogan.

Northwestern also launched an Advisory Committee on Preventing Antisemitism and Hate charged with “building responses, educative and student- and employee-focused, to create an environment on campus where ideas can be vigorously debated without fear of hate-based retribution.” The Committee has received criticism from some of its anti-Zionist members. The University regularly updates its website with committee actions. 

*On April 11, Northwestern University was graded "D"; in light of new information or events, the grade was changed to a "F" on April 30.

Criteria

Publicly Disclosed Administrative Actions and Policies i

Key
Publicly Disclosed Administrative Actions and Policies
This college completely fulfills the specified criteria.
This college partially fulfills the specified criteria.
This college does not fulfill the specific criteria.
Full ADL Criteria Details →
Antisemitism included in Code of Conduct and Policies
Clear process for reporting antisemitic incidents
Advisory council to address antisemitism
Clear religious accommodations policy
Mandatory antisemitism education for students and staff
Has an official position against BDS
Publicly condemns antisemitic incidents

Jewish Life on Campus i

Key
Jewish Life on Campus
This college completely fulfills the specified criteria.
This college partially fulfills the specified criteria.
This college does not fulfill the specific criteria.
Full ADL Criteria Details →
Active Hillel, Chabad, or other Jewish student organization
Jewish Greek life
Jewish studies program or class
Kosher dining
Interfaith initiatives on campus
School promotes awareness of Jewish holidays
Pro-Israel-related programming and activities
Rabbi/Jewish educator
Jewish Religious Services

Incidents i

Key
Incidents
The college has no recent reports of these issues.
The college experiences some of these issues.
The college experiences a lot of these issues.

*Incident levels reflect the number of incidents relative to the Jewish student population on campus.

Full ADL Criteria Details →
Severe antisemitic and anti-Zionist incidents *
Medium
Other antisemitic and anti-Zionist incidents *
Medium
Hostile anti-Zionist student government activity
Many
Hostile anti-Zionist student groups
Yes
Antisemitic speakers or programs on campus
Many

1200

Jewish Undergraduate
Population

13.90%

Jewish Undergraduate Percentage
of Total Student Population

1000

Jewish Graduate
Population

7.10%

Jewish Graduate Percentage
of Total Student Population

Northwestern University contributed information to our assessment.


This page was last updated on Oct 30, 2024, 10:09 am