A new report from an antisemitism watchdog group argues that Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs have become a central channel for antisemitism within U.S. higher education, citing survey data showing widespread hostility toward Jewish students and limited institutional response.
The report, released by StopAntisemitism, assessed conditions at 90 colleges and universities nationwide as part of its “2025 Antisemitism on U.S. College & University Campuses” study. The organization focuses on tracking violence, harassment, and systemic discrimination targeting Jews.
“Even since the recent Gaza ceasefire agreement, antisemitism remains loud, bold, and unchecked, revealing that none of this is about Israel but instead it is about Jew-hatred, plain and simple,” the report stated. “Coordinated protests, ideological harassment, and institutional apathy continue to endanger Jewish students.”
Survey responses from Jewish students enrolled at the evaluated institutions showed that antisemitism is affecting daily campus life. Nearly four in ten respondents said they concealed their Jewish identity, while 62% reported being personally blamed for Israel’s actions. Sixty-five percent said they felt unwelcome in certain campus spaces, and 39% indicated that DEI initiatives included Jews.
More than half of respondents said they felt abandoned by their institutions after the Hamas-led terrorist attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. In total, 58% said their schools failed to protect them in the aftermath, a period marked by widespread anti-Israel demonstrations across U.S. campuses. Some protests reportedly included praise for terrorism and intimidation of Jewish students.
StopAntisemitism said it selected schools for evaluation based on “their scale, national relevance, incident volume, and student reported vulnerability,” aiming to capture institutions with both influence and documented concerns.
Only 15 of the 90 institutions earned an A rating, including Colorado State University and the University of Alabama.
Columbia University received an F, with the report stating that Jewish students there “have faced repeated antisemitic incidents including vandalism, hate filled emails, and disruptions glorifying extremist violence.” Earlier this year, Columbia agreed to pay $21 million to settle investigations by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission related to antisemitism allegations.
Northwestern University also received an F after campus encampments and demonstrations allegedly created an unsafe environment for Jewish students. The university later agreed to pay $75 million to resolve multiple federal investigations into antisemitism.
That settlement followed a decision by the Trump administration to freeze approximately $790 million in research funding in April over alleged civil rights violations tied to antisemitism. Northwestern denied wrongdoing despite agreeing to the financial settlement.
“The solution is not reform, DEI has failed too fully, too structurally, and too consistently, and must therefore be completely dismantled,” the report concluded. “Its ideological rigidity, selective morality, and entrenched double standards have helped fuel the worst wave of campus antisemitism in modern American history.”
