Northwestern University has a Hillel, Chabad, Jewish Greek life organizations, and the Crown Family Center for Jewish and Israel Studies.

Litigation & Investigations

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

In February 2025, the Department of Education launched an investigation into alleged antisemitic discrimination at Northwestern. These matters were opened using the Department's power to launch investigations.

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 2023, there were incidents where mezuzahs were ripped from dorm room door frames.

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, anti-Israel 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.”

The University ultimately rewarded the protesters’ violations of campus policies by entering into an “agreement” with them, pursuant to which the school promised to provide more transparency regarding investments.

In September 2024, a note was placed on the Northwestern University Hillel building that read "Oppressor" alongside a Star of David.

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 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 was disbanded prematurely in May 2024.

In April 2024, President Schill capitulated to the demands of anti-Israel protestors who had set up an encampment, agreeing to establish an advisory committee on university investments and letting protests continue through June 1, 2024, among other items. In May 2024, President Schill faced calls to resign following troubling testimony before Congress, during which Schill refused to say if or when violators, including academic faculty, who had participated in the encampment would be held accountable.

Ahead of the 2024-25 academic year, Northwestern communicated to the campus community that updates have been made to the Student Code of Conduct, including a new definition of prohibited activity, the Demonstration Policy and the Policy on Discrimination, Harassment, and Sexual Misconduct, and allowing the University to act as the complainant in a conduct investigation.

The University has also developed a revised definition of intimidation and a new Display and Solicitation Policy, and is undertaking a comprehensive review of its Office of Civil Rights and Title IX compliance and its policies, procedures, and investigative outcomes.

In addition, Northwestern has introduced mandatory trainings on hate that include specific content on antisemitism, has integrated work to combat antisemitism into the Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion and has developed new educational resources, both on combatting identity-based discrimination and hate, as well as programming on the history and politics of the conflict in the Middle East.

The University has also increased police monitoring in areas of significance to the Jewish community and partners with a private security firm to provide extra support as needed. 

In March 2025, the University established a new Advisory Council to the President on Jewish Life. The council will meet with the president periodically to report on the quality of the University’s mandatory trainings, the effectiveness of the existing rules and policies, and the general campus climate experienced by Jewish members of the campus community. 

*Following the implementation of new policy actions, Northwestern’s 2025 grade was revised from a D to a C on April 4, 2025. 

Northwestern University has a Hillel, Chabad, Jewish Greek life organizations, and the Crown Family Center for Jewish and Israel Studies.

Litigation & Investigations

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

In February 2025, the Department of Education launched an investigation into alleged antisemitic discrimination at Northwestern. These matters were opened using the Department's power to launch investigations.

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 2023, there were incidents where mezuzahs were ripped from dorm room door frames.

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, anti-Israel 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.”

The University ultimately rewarded the protesters’ violations of campus policies by entering into an “agreement” with them, pursuant to which the school promised to provide more transparency regarding investments.

In September 2024, a note was placed on the Northwestern University Hillel building that read "Oppressor" alongside a Star of David.

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 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 was disbanded prematurely in May 2024.

In April 2024, President Schill capitulated to the demands of anti-Israel protestors who had set up an encampment, agreeing to establish an advisory committee on university investments and letting protests continue through June 1, 2024, among other items. In May 2024, President Schill faced calls to resign following troubling testimony before Congress, during which Schill refused to say if or when violators, including academic faculty, who had participated in the encampment would be held accountable.

Ahead of the 2024-25 academic year, Northwestern communicated to the campus community that updates have been made to the Student Code of Conduct, including a new definition of prohibited activity, the Demonstration Policy and the Policy on Discrimination, Harassment, and Sexual Misconduct, and allowing the University to act as the complainant in a conduct investigation.

The University has also developed a revised definition of intimidation and a new Display and Solicitation Policy, and is undertaking a comprehensive review of its Office of Civil Rights and Title IX compliance and its policies, procedures, and investigative outcomes.

In addition, Northwestern has introduced mandatory trainings on hate that include specific content on antisemitism, has integrated work to combat antisemitism into the Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion and has developed new educational resources, both on combatting identity-based discrimination and hate, as well as programming on the history and politics of the conflict in the Middle East.

The University has also increased police monitoring in areas of significance to the Jewish community and partners with a private security firm to provide extra support as needed. 

In March 2025, the University established a new Advisory Council to the President on Jewish Life. The council will meet with the president periodically to report on the quality of the University’s mandatory trainings, the effectiveness of the existing rules and policies, and the general campus climate experienced by Jewish members of the campus community. 

*Following the implementation of new policy actions, Northwestern’s 2025 grade was revised from a D to a C on April 4, 2025.