The New School has a Hillel and a Chabad.

Litigations & Investigations

In March 2024, the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights opened a Title VI investigation into The New School.

What’s Happening on Campus?

In May 2024, students and faculty occupied the Welcome Center in Manhattan to urge the board of trustees to consider divestment from companies associated with Israel. The building occupation followed the establishment of two New School anti-Israel encampments, one led by students and one by faculty.

At an encampment that was erected from April 2024 to May 2024, protesters displayed messages that included: “Resist colonial power by any means necessary,” “Zionist donors and trustees, hands off our universities,” and “The future is anti-Zionist.” At least one sign included an inverted red triangle, a symbol popularized by the antisemitic U.S.-designated terror group Hamas to mark targets.

In August 2024, Student Senators voted to cease all funding to student organizations until The New School divests from certain companies affiliated with Israel. In a separate yet related protest, members of the campus Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) chapter interrupted President Towers' address in September 2024, demanding divestment from Israel.

University Policies and Responsive Action

In October 2023, in the aftermath of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, the University issued a statement condemning the attack and offering support to students from the affected areas.

To better address antisemitism on campus, President Towers has had meetings with Jewish and Israeli members of the campus community. The University has also hosted a series of workshops and training open to the university community, plus specific trainings for faculty and staff for promoting “effective, authentic communication, encouraging self-awareness, building skills for civil discourse and, above all, cultivating a culture of kindness and civility among colleagues." 

The Faculty Center has also hosted workshops for faculty and staff on managing difficult conversations and interactions in classrooms and other university spaces. These sessions included discussions and guidance on different forms of bias, including antisemitism.