CHICAGO (WAND) — The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has entered into an agreement to better comply with federal civil rights obligations according to the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR).
The Dept. of Ed. office said the investigation of the university was prompted by a complaint in March 2020 alleging several incidents of antisemitism including the appearance of swastikas throughout campus; mezuzahs ripped off students’ doors; and a brick being thrown through the window of a Jewish fraternity.
The OCR reviewed 139 incidents of discrimination related to shared Jewish, Muslim, Palestinian, or Arab ancestry reported to the university from 2015 through December 2023. Of the 139 reports OCR reviewed, 135 related to allegations of anti-Jewish discrimination and 4 related to anti-Muslim, anti-Palestinian, or anti-Arab discrimination.
The office found that the university did not meet its obligation under Title VI to assess whether a hostile environment was created for students, faculty, or staff related to any of the complaints the university received.
These incidents regarding a possible hostile environment included, for example, an allegation that a student attacked a Jewish student and ripped off “his Jewish chain” and later said to the Jewish student that he had attacked him because he is Jewish and that, “I wish my ancestors finished the job on you”; flyers distributed around campus via plastic bags containing rocks stating, “Every single aspect of the Covid agenda is Jewish,” and listing several people with the word “Jewish” next to their names; and a student throwing a rock toward an event at the Hillel Center. Other incidents included a university employee sending messages on social media such as, “I won’t tolerate Islam,” and a pro-Palestinian student protestor who reported being struck multiple times by a counter-protesting employee.
The investigation also found that programs in charge of responding to complaints like the above were not coordinated and inconsistently applied policies and procedures.
A representative from the university gave the following statement to WAND News:
"As a global university that reflects a full range of cultures, beliefs, faiths and perspectives, the communities that compose the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign are our greatest strength, and we do not condone expressions of antisemitism, Islamophobia or hatred and harm against any individual or groups. We remain fully committed to fostering inclusion and respect and will never tolerate hate, discrimination or violence.
"The university is pleased that the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) determined that it was appropriate to resolve the complaint through a voluntary resolution agreement in which it makes no finding against the university. The agreement reflects the university’s commitment to enhance our ongoing efforts to provide a safe and supportive educational environment. We are proud to partner with OCR to implement measures that build on our ongoing work and take new steps to bring consistency and transparency in addressing discrimination and harassment based on national origin and shared ancestry.
"Recognizing the national rise in reports of antisemitism, the university has worked diligently for several years with Jewish stakeholders and recently developed an updated common set of shared values and expectations related to combatting issues of antisemitism on campus. Those shared values and expectations are reflected in a Mutual Understandings (MU) document between the university and Hillel and Jewish United Fund of Chicago. The MU helped shape the voluntary resolution agreement with OCR, which demonstrates the university’s continued efforts to ensure that our campus community is welcoming and inclusive for all."
To resolve the concerns, the U of I has agreed to:
Review and as necessary revise its nondiscrimination policies and procedures to ensure they consistently require it to assess whether incidents of reported shared ancestry discrimination or harassment have created a hostile environment within the university’s education program or activity and acknowledge that conduct that may have taken place off campus or on social media can contribute to a hostile environment within a university program or activity.
Review and as necessary revise its protest and demonstration policy to ensure university law enforcement responses related to protests and demonstrations are applied equitably and in a manner compliant with Title VI.
Provide training to university law enforcement personnel as well as to all employees and staff responsible for investigating complaints and other reports of discrimination, including harassment, based on shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics (including antisemitism).
Conduct annual training on discrimination based on national origin, including harassment based on shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics, for all faculty, staff, and students.
Conduct a review of the university’s response to complaints and reports of antisemitic and other shared ancestry discrimination during the 2023-2024 academic year, and take necessary remedial actions.
Provide OCR with information regarding any complaints alleging discrimination, including harassment, on the basis of shared ancestry during the 2024-2025 school year, and complete additional steps as directed by OCR.
Administer a climate survey to students and staff and create an action plan, subject to OCR approval, in response to concerns raised in the survey.
“The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has now agreed to take the steps necessary to ensure its education community can learn, teach, and work without an unredressed antisemitic hostile environment, or any other hostility related to stereotypes about shared ancestry,” said Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Catherine E. Lhamon. “OCR will work with the University in the coming years to ensure its fulfillment of this core federal civil rights guarantee.”
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