ADL Issues Revised Report Card Grades Following Historic Antisemitic Activity on College Campuses

New York, NY, June 18, 2024 … ADL (the Anti-Defamation League) today announced that it has issued revised grades for some schools assessed in its Campus Antisemitism Report Card, an initiative that assesses campus climate and administrative policies related to countering antisemitism on college campuses.

The tool, released in a beta version this past April, examined 85 institutions and assigned grades to provide campus leadership, parents, students, alumni and other key stakeholders a mechanism to evaluate the state of antisemitism on campus and how schools across the country are responding. In the initial release, 2 schools received an “A,” 17 schools received a “B,” 29 schools received a “C,” 24 schools received a “D,” and 13 schools received an “F” grade.

Since the release of the report card, the campus climate at colleges and universities across the country has been fraught. In recent months, students have launched hostile anti-Israel encampments, seized school buildings, and in some cases, assaulted staff. In many instances, activists engaged in antisemitic harassment, intimidation and violence.  To date, ADL has tracked more than 2,600 arrests.

Less than half (46%) of Jewish students reported feeling physically safe on their campuses during the first half of the fall semester of the 2023-2024 school year. Now, the surge in protests has intensified anti-Jewish hate, leaving many Jewish students feeling threatened and, in some cases, unsafe. While some college and university administrations have met the moment and implemented additional protections, many have not.

To account for this increase in hostility toward Jewish students, ADL re-assessed each of the 85 schools included in the Report Card, taking into account recent escalations, the impact on levels of antisemitism on campus, and response from university leadership. After the reassessment, grades changed in several instances. Accordingly, the grade distribution is now: 2 schools received an “A,” 18 schools received a “B,” 32 schools received a “C,” 24 schools received a “D,” and 9 schools received an “F” grade.

Although their grades did not change, several schools were commended by ADL for appropriate handling of the recent spike in hostile anti-Zionist activity and the challenging situation of unauthorized encampments on campus.

• On the first day of the unauthorized encampment, Arizona State University (ASU) issued numerous warnings before clearing the encampment and arresting 70+ individuals, most of whom were not students. To keep the campus community informed, ASU issued a statement outlining exactly which policies had been violated and the consequences for students who had been arrested.
• Following repeated calls for protestors to remove the encampment, the University of Florida called in the police, leading to the arrests of several students. The University subsequently released a decisive statement: “The University of Florida is not a daycare, and we do not treat protesters like children. They knew the rules, they broke the rules, and they’ll face the consequences.”
• At the University of Texas, Austin (UT Austin), protestors at the encampment were repeatedly told to leave. Protestors also allegedly sent threats to the University. In response, UT Austin and partner law enforcement agencies quickly removed the encampment and made 79 arrests, including 45 individuals who were not affiliated with the university. Weapons confiscated from protestors reportedly included guns, mallets and chains.
• At Washington University in St. Louis, the administration asked protestors to disperse multiple times on the day that the encampment was set up. When protestors didn’t leave, The administration subsequently released a strong  denouncing the actions of the protestors and outlining the steps taken by the university and the reasons for police involvement. Several faculty members involved in the protests have been placed on leave.
• A few days after the encampment was set up, President Alivisatos of the University of Chicago published a statement saying “On Monday, I stated that we would only intervene if what might have been an exercise of free expression blocks the learning or expression of others or substantially disrupts the functioning or safety of the university. Without an agreement to end the encampment, we have reached that point.” On May 7^th, President Alivisatos published an op-ed outlining why the administration chose to dismantle the encampment, stating: “Students demanded that we side against Israel, violating the core principle of institutional neutrality.”
• At Emory University, an encampment was rapidly cleared by law enforcement, leading to a number of arrests, including of outside protestors. Subsequent protests led to a number of injuries to protestors and police officers. Following the de-escalation of the situation, President Fenves released a statement noting: “I am saddened by what took place at Emory yesterday... As Emory community members continue to express themselves and protest, we are committed to working with students and faculty, open expression observers, and the EPD to facilitate their peaceful expression. However, we will not tolerate vandalism, violence, or any attempt to disrupt our campus through the construction of encampments. These actions are counter to our values, and they disrupt the core purpose of the university and its educational and research missions.”
• At Tulane University, the New Orleans Police Department and Louisiana State Police dismantled a pro-Palestinian encampment on campus, arresting 14 protesters, including 2 students, and suspending 7 Tulane students for participating in the encampment on university property. “We fully support the freedom of speech and assembly,” Tulane’s statement said. “These rights must be exercised, however, in a manner that does not disrupt our academic mission, compromise the safety or the free speech of others, or hinder support systems for our students.”

“When we released these grades last month, we did not dare to imagine how much more challenging this school year would get for Jewish students,” said ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt. “The past few weeks have been marked by an alarming surge in anti-Jewish hate connected to the encampments and other on-campus protests, putting students’ safety at risk and even prompting some schools to cancel graduation. The end of the school year should be a joyous time for students and their families, and it is completely unacceptable that some university leaders have let the situation get this out of hand.”

This re-assessment was deemed necessary because of the extreme volatility of the current campus climate. Going forward, ADL will offer universities the opportunity to submit updated information in October if they wish to have their grades re-assessed.  ADL will continue to update the Report Card on an annual basis each April.

The Report Card is a vital part of ADL’s Not On My Campus campaign, calling on U.S. colleges and universities to commit to a no tolerance policy for antisemitism. The Not On My Campus website provides online tools and resources for students, parents, and alumni, empowering them to demand more from college leadership, and building collective action to hold schools accountable for their inaction.

Review all 85 campus report cards on our website here and explore the full Not On My Campus Campaign here.

ADL is the leading anti-hate organization in the world. Founded in 1913, its timeless mission is “to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all.” Today, ADL continues to fight all forms of antisemitism and bias, using innovation and partnerships to drive impact. A global leader in combating antisemitism, countering extremism and battling bigotry wherever and whenever it happens, ADL works to protect democracy and ensure a just and inclusive society for all.