University of Southern California

Campus Antisemitism Report Card (Beta) > University of Southern California

University of Southern California

2025
Grade

C

Jump To

2025 Report Card

Publicly Disclosed Administrative Actions Meeting Expectations
Jewish Life on Campus Excellent
Campus Conduct and Climate Concerns High

The University of Southern California (USC) has a Hillel, Chabad, Jewish Greek life organizations and partnerships with Hebrew Union College and the USC Shoah Foundation.

Litigation & Investigations

In July 2022, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights opened a Title VI investigation into allegations of antisemitism at USC after a Jewish student resigned from her position as student government vice president in August 2020, after being targeted for discrimination because of her perceived Jewish identity. The student reported that the harassment had taken a toll on both her physical and mental health.

What’s Happening on Campus?

After October 7 2023, there were several incidents of students and other individuals removing posters of kidnapped Israeli civilians who are being held hostage in Gaza.

In February 2024, three student groups – Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), the Palestinian Youth Movement and Dissenters – launched the “National Divestment Campaign,” calling on the University to divest from Israel and saying “We know that USC is very complicit in violence.”

Complaints have been lodged against some professors for allegedly promoting antisemitic and anti-Zionist content online, and Jewish students — particularly in the law and medical schools — have also reported being targeted with online harassment. In June 2024, the USC Chabad house was vandalized.

In October 2024, at an SJP and JVP anti-Israel rally celebrating the anniversary of Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, protesters chanted, “Zionism, Shut it Down” and “There is only one solution; Intifada, revolution.” Protesters also displayed signs with messages such as “Victory to the resistance and chanted “Yemen, Yemen Make Us Proud, Turn Another Ship Around” (a reference to the Houthis, a U.S.-designated terror group).

University Policies and Responsive Action

In January 2022, then-President Carol Folt convened an Advisory Committee on Jewish Life at USC, and in August of that year, she accepted the committee’s final report, including a number of proposals to combat antisemitism and anti-Zionism, and to develop and improve campus processes for addressing harassment and discrimination.

In November 2023, USC hosted the Western Region Summit on Antisemitism in Higher Education conference in partnership with Hillel International and the Jewish Federation of Los Angeles. ADL convened a separate track for Campus Law Enforcement and Public Safety Officers as part of this summit.

In April and May 2024, at the request of the University administration, law enforcement dismantled two encampments, leading to 93 arrests after the first encampment and zero after the second. In an April 2024 announcement, the University canceled its main commencement ceremony, citing security concerns following campus protests.

In September 2024, the USC Shoah Foundation – headquartered on USC’s campus – established a Countering Antisemitism Laboratory to research and combat antisemitism. In November 2024, the Foundation also announced a partnership with the Berlin-based Kreuzberg Initiative against Anti-Semitism (KIgA) to increase access to testimonies of Holocaust survivors and create wide-reaching programming to counter antisemitism.

USC works closely with Hillel to organize events dedicated to fostering Jewish life on campus, and has partnered with local and national external Jewish organizations to further support Jewish members of the campus community.

*Following the submission of new information, USC’s 2025 grade was revised from a D to a C on April 4, 2025. 

Criteria

Meeting Expectations

Publicly Disclosed Administrative Actions i

Key
Publicly Disclosed Administrative Actions
Above Expectations
Meeting Expectations
Below Expectations
This college was not assessed on the specified 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
Partnerships with Israeli institutions
Conducts surveys to assess Jewish student experiences
Civil discourse initiatives on campus
Clear time, place and manner policies
Participated in program to address antisemitism
Excellent

Jewish Life on Campus i

Key
Jewish Life on Campus
Excellent
Satisfactory
Subpar
This college was not assessed on the specified 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
Israel studies or study abroad programs
Rabbi/Jewish educator
Jewish religious services
Jewish alumni group
Jewish staff and faculty group
Partnerships with Jewish organizations
Active pro-Israel group
High

Campus Conduct and Climate Concerns i

Key
Campus Conduct and Climate Concerns
Low to none
Medium
High

*Incident levels reflect the number of incidents relative to the total student population on campus. 'Severe' and 'other' incidents were only counted if they were recorded between April 2024 and December 2024.

Full ADL Criteria Details →
Level of severe antisemitic and anti-Zionist incidents
Level of other antisemitic and anti-Zionist incidents
Level of hostile anti-Zionist student government activity
Level of hostile anti-Zionist student groups 
Level of hostile anti-Zionist staff and faculty activity

University of Southern California contributed information to our assessment.

This page was last updated on Apr 4, 2025, 6:45 am