Photo: Junfu Han ~ USA TODAY NETWORK
ANN ARBOR, March 13, 2025 ~ The Trump administration is threatening dozens of colleges, including the University of Michigan, with “enforcement actions” if they do not act on allegations of on-campus antisemitism.
This comes as pro-Palestinian activism has been in the national spotlight, with the arrest of Columbia University graduate and legal green card holder Mahmoud Khalil related to his activism. U-M has not been immune to this, with claims of antisemitism and Jewish students not feeling safe with a year and a half of student activists calling on U-M to divest university funds from Israel amid its brutal assault on Gaza and the West Bank.
PODCAST:
March 13, 2025 ~ The University of Michigan has received a warning from the Department of Education regarding Title VI compliance and the protection of Jewish students. Sarah Hubbard, University of Michigan regent, talks with Guy Gordon, Lloyd Jackson, and Jamie Edmonds about how the university is addressing concerns for Jewish students and balancing free speech with ensuring a respectful and inclusive campus environment.
(CONTINUED) Despite these claims of campus antisemitism, U-M leaders have largely refused to comply with the demands of pro-Palestinian activists. Regents have refused to vote on divesting university funds from Israel, and U-M President Santa Ono recently appeared at an Anti-Defamation League conference to speak against divestment. The university has also faced backlash on its treatment of protestors, including sending police to break down a pro-Palestine encampment last May, arresting four people at a peaceful protest last fall, and is currently facing a lawsuit over banning four pro-Palestine activists from campus.
It is unclear what “enforcement actions” the U.S. Department of Education’s Civil Rights Office may take against the schools it notified, but it does have the power to withhold federal funds.
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