The U.S. Department of Education said Friday it has reached an agreement with the University of California system resolving complaints from Jewish and Muslim students of discrimination and harassment during over the war in Gaza.
The department鈥檚 Office for Civil Rights said it investigated nine complaints against University of California schools in Los Angeles (UCLA), Santa Barbara, San Diego, Davis and Santa Cruz. The complaints alleged the schools failed to respond effectively to antisemitic and anti-Arab harassment.
The civil rights office concluded the universities 鈥渁ppear not to have responded promptly or effectively鈥� to allegations of discrimination and harassment that were brought to the administrations鈥� attention.
Under the agreement, the schools must step up reporting of complaints to the OCR office and review all complaints and reports of harassment from the past two academic years to determine if further action is needed. The agreement also calls for more training of university employees and campus police officers about their obligations under federal law.
The University of California system said the agreement is one of several steps it is taking to ensure its campuses are respectful and welcoming to all.
鈥淓nsuring an inclusive University environment requires sustained focus and action,鈥� the system said in a written statement.
Colleges and universities nationwide saw tension and at times violence after the onset of the Israel-Hamas war, with dueling campus rallies and widespread allegations of antisemitism and anti-Arab harassment.
The Department of Education has been investigating dozens of complaints that campuses violated Title VI, which bars discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color and national origin at colleges and universities that receive federal funding. Examples of harassment can include slurs, taunts, stereotypes, name-calling and racially motivated attacks or hateful conduct, according to the department鈥檚 website.
The department reached a similar in July.
A separate investigation found the University of Cincinnati did not respond appropriately to reports of harassment, the Office of Civil Rights said Friday. Examples from some two dozen complaints include a Palestinian student who reported receiving death threats, which the university did not investigate, and an anonymous complaint that a Jewish student's home was egged and smeared with feces.
The University of Cincinnati said in a statement it will review its policies and previously filed complaints, and take steps 鈥渢o practively enhance ongoing efforts to prevent discrimination and harassment.鈥� The university said it investigated the complaint of vandalism at the Jewish student's home, which was made directly to the federal office, but found no reports or evidence of the incident.
鲍颁尝础鈥檚 in the spring drew widespread criticism. Chaos erupted after hundreds of protesters defied orders from campus police to leave the encampment. One night, counter-protesters attacked the pro-Palestinian encampment, throwing traffic cones and firing pepper spray, with fighting that continued for hours before police stepped in.
The investigation into UCLA stemmed partly from concerns of compliance related to about 150 reports the school received about rallies in October and November 2023 as well as a pro-Palestinian encampment in the spring, the department said.
鈥淥f particular concern were reports of violence against students of Jewish ancestry 鈥� and of a violent assault by counter-protesters on pro-Palestinian protesters鈥� at the encampment, the department said.
At rallies, protesters chanted 鈥渄eath to Israel鈥� and 鈥渘o peace until they鈥檙e dead,鈥� the department said. At the encampment, protesters maintained checkpoints that excluded Jewish students from the protest area and parts of the campus, prompting the school鈥檚 chancellor to issue a statement saying Jewish students on campus, among others, felt 鈥渁 state of anxiety and fear.鈥�
Muslim and Palestinian students experienced 鈥渦nwanted filming, doxing, and being followed鈥� on or near the UCLA campus, the department said. A task force report cited by the department said counter-protesters heckled people inside the encampment, saying things like, 鈥測ou鈥檙e a jihadist,鈥� and 鈥測ou鈥檙e a terrorist.鈥�
The four other UC campuses also had 鈥渨idely reported incidents鈥� of alleged harassment against students, the civil rights office said. UC Santa Barbara was notified of antisemitic vandalism at a dorm and signs posted at a student center that targeted Jewish students by name; UC San Diego and UC Davis also received complaints about students experiencing or witnessing antisemitic comments or actions by students and professors.
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Jocelyn Gecker, The Associated Press
