UW–Madison is facing a Title VI investigation opened by the federal Department of Education after a claim that the university failed to protect its students of shared Jewish ancestry from harassment following the October Hamas attacks, according to the Wisconsin State Journal.
Zachary Marschall, the editor-in-chief of Campus Reform — a conservative news outlet and self-described conservative watchdog for higher education institutions — claims UW–Madison took no action to protect Jewish students, particularly during an Oct. 10 pro-Palestinian campus rally. The rally subsequently went viral online.
A UW–Madison spokesperson said the university plans to fully cooperate with the Department of Education’s investigation, and a UW–Madison statement affirms it “condemns antisemitism in all its forms.”
Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin was one of a few university chancellors nationally in October and November to put out statements condemning Hamas for its attack on Israel. Mnookin, who is Jewish, called for civility and respectful dialogue in both statements.
The Department of Education in the past week has opened three other Title VI investigations into U.S. universities’ efforts to protect Jewish students from harassment after Marschall filed complaints. Marschall has reportedly filed 21 Title VI complaints against universities.
