Students Against Antisemitism v. Trustees of Columbia University

Summary

On February 21, 2024, Students Against Antisemitism, Inc., the StandWithUs Center for Legal Justice, and several Jewish students filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York against the Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York and the Trustees of Barnard College. The complaint alleged that Jewish and Israeli students were subjected to “severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive” antisemitic harassment and intimidation on campus following demonstrations related to the Israel–Hamas war. The plaintiffs alleged that the universities failed to take adequate action to stop harassment, exclusion from student spaces and activities, and threats directed at Jewish students, and that this conduct created a hostile educational environment. The complaint asserted that the defendants’ alleged failure to respond appropriately violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and sought injunctive relief requiring the universities to adopt policies and procedures to address antisemitic discrimination and harassment.

On July 7, 2025, Barnard College and Columbia University announced that they had reached a settlement resolving the lawsuit. Under the terms of the agreement, Barnard committed to adopt several measures intended to address antisemitism on campus and improve the handling of discrimination complaints. The settlement required Barnard to hire a Title VI coordinator responsible for overseeing discrimination complaints and ensuring compliance with federal civil rights law. The agreement also included additional reporting procedures, education and training concerning antisemitism and discrimination, and institutional oversight mechanisms designed to address complaints and monitor campus climate.

The settlement further included provisions concerning interactions with student protest groups and support for Jewish students. Barnard agreed that it would not negotiate or enter into agreements with certain pro-Palestinian protest groups involved in disputes described in the complaint. The college also agreed to provide Barnard students the opportunity to take classes at the Jewish Theological Seminary at no cost. The measures outlined in the settlement incorporated remedies sought by the plaintiffs and were intended to address the incidents and concerns described in the complaint. The settlement took effect immediately following the announcement, and Barnard implemented new oversight and reporting structures to address complaints of antisemitism and discrimination on campus.

Against this backdrop of heightened federal attention to antisemitism on campuses, in March 2025 the Trump administration cancelled approximately $400 million in federal grants and contracts to Columbia University, citing what federal officials described as failures to address antisemitism and protect Jewish students.  Additionally, on July 25, 2025, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission announced that Columbia University agreed to pay $21 million to establish a class settlement fund resolving charges that Jewish employees had been subjected to a hostile work environment following the October 7, 2023 attacks, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The settlement created a claims process for current and former employees who alleged antisemitic harassment or retaliation at the university.