Northwestern among 60 colleges under federal antisemitism probe
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The Department of Education announced Monday it's investigating 60 colleges and universities, including Northwestern and Illinois Wesleyan, over allegations of antisemitic harassment and discrimination.
Why it matters: Northwestern is already the target of a Department of Justice task force assigned to look into allegations of antisemitism stemming from campus protests over the Israel-Gaza war and the new investigation could put the school at greater risk of funding cuts.
What they're saying: "We are fully cooperating with federal investigators as we have with the House Committee on Education and the Workforce over the past year," a statement from Northwestern said. "There is no place for antisemitism or any form of identity-based discrimination or hate at Northwestern University."
- "We are confident in the actions we have taken to address antisemitism on our campus, including updating our Student Code of Conduct, our disciplinary procedures and making investments in public safety."
- "We have provided all the information that was requested in an Office of Civil Rights (OCR) investigation that began in March 2024. The University is committed to fulfilling its obligations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and we continue to cooperate in this matter," Illinois Wesleyan spokesperson Julia Perez told Axios in a statement.
- "We are committed to a campus environment that protects the safety and dignity of all students, faculty and staff, and that is free from harassment or discrimination of any kind, including discrimination against people of Jewish origin."
Catch up quick: The DOE sent letters to five dozen schools saying they must fulfill their obligations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act to protect Jewish students.
- The move comes after the administration revoked some $400 million in federal grants and contracts from Columbia last week, citing "continued inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students."
- Some campuses on the list — including Columbia University — were epicenters of the pro-Palestinian protests that led to hundreds of arrests starting last spring.
- President Trump threatened earlier this month to halt funding for schools that allow "illegal protests" — saying "agitators will be imprisoned."
By the numbers: The institutions vary widely in enrollment size and location, though nearly half are concentrated in the Northeast.
- Northwestern and Illinois Wesleyan are the only Illinois schools on the list.
- Nine Big Ten schools are being threatened, including Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin.
- Of the eight Ivy League schools, six are being investigated.
Zoom in: Northwestern president Michael Schill told a congressional panel last year the private school would not divest from Israel, one of the demands of campus protesters calling for a ceasefire.
Zoom out: Trump has pushed an aggressive crackdown on suspected antisemitism on university campuses — though some of the administration's recent actions and threats have been questioned as legally dubious.
Editor's note: This story has been corrected to reflect that nine (not five) Big Ten schools are under investigation by the Department of Education.