Many NYC colleges and universities are improving on initiatives against antisemitism on their campuses, according to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL).
The ADL released its second-annual Campus Antisemitism Report Card on Monday, spotlighting high-scoring grades for several NYC colleges, including a handful of City University of New York (CUNY) schools.
The report card reviewed 135 colleges and universities across the country, analyzing criteria based on three categories: administrative policies, campus conduct and climate concerns, and Jewish life on campus.
Eight NYC schools were assessed. CUNY’s Brooklyn College and Queens College received impressive A grades. Both schools have multiple Jewish organizations on campus, and their grades have improved from last year.
“While so many colleges and universities improved their grades through substantive changes to address antisemitic activity on campus, there remains much more work to be done,” said Scott Richman, ADL NY/NJ’s regional director. “The goal of this annual report card is to provide objective criteria and information for campus communities and the greater public to be able to assess a university’s responses and level of inoculation to anti-Jewish hate on their campus.”
Last year, CUNY stepped up efforts to combat hate and bias on their campuses that surged during the wake and after the start of the Israel – Hamas war on Oct. 7, 2023.
The college system also announced the opening of the new Center for Inclusive Excellence and Belonging last year, which aims to foster understanding between diverse communities on campus, and other new initiatives.
“CUNY has taken critical steps to combat antisemitism and build bridges between communities, including forming the University’s first Advisory Council on Jewish Life, launching a new center dedicated to centralizing our efforts to address hate and partnering with Hillel and Jewish organizations,” a CUNY spokesperson said. “We’re proud of our work and grateful to the Anti-Defamation League for acknowledging progress made at Brooklyn, Baruch and Queens colleges but recognize there is more we can and will do to build on our progress and create truly inclusive campuses for students, faculty and staff.”
New York University (NYU) also came out strong, scoring a B on this year’s report card.
While there were instances of anti-Zionist movement at rallies immediately following the start of the war, the ADL reports that the school, at the least, now surpasses expectations in publicly disclosed administrative action and does “excellent” in Jewish life on campus.
“While a number of universities in New York and New Jersey improved over the past year, I would like to highlight NYU which can serve as a model for schools in the significant actions it took over the past year to protect its Jewish students against hate,” Richman said. “We hope more universities will follow suit.”
Other city-based schools and their grades include CUNY Baruch College (B), CUNY Hunter College ( C), and Barnard College (D).
Barely passing or failing
Columbia University, infamously known for the series of protests that at times became violent throughout much of 2024, received a D.
But trailing behind is The New School, which was graded F.
Last year, students and faculty occupied the Welcome Center to push the board of trustees to consider divestment from companies associated with Israel, the ADL report states.
“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,” the report details. “At least one sign included an inverted red triangle, a symbol popularized by the antisemitic U.S.-designated terror group Hamas to mark targets.”
The ADL marked The New School poorly on campus conduct and climate concerns, as well as publicly disclosed administrative actions.
However, it received a satisfactory rating for having active Hillel and Chabad organizations.
amNewYork Metro contacted The New School for comment and is awaiting a response.
