Latest news with #NaraMilanich
NBC News
08-07-2025
- Politics
- NBC News
Barnard College settles lawsuit accusing school of not doing enough to fight antisemitism
NEW YORK (AP) — Barnard College has settled a lawsuit that accused the college of not doing enough to combat antisemitism on campus, agreeing to a litany of demands that include banning masks at protests and refusing to meet or negotiate with a coalition of pro-Palestinian student groups, according to a statement released Monday. The Manhattan college, an all-women's affiliate of Columbia University, will also establish a new Title VI coordinator to enforce against claims of discrimination. Beginning next semester, all students and staff will receive a message conveying a "zero tolerance" policy for harassment of Jewish and Israeli students. The settlement was announced in a joint statement by Barnard and lawyers for two Jewish advocacy groups, Students Against Antisemitism and StandWithUs Center for Legal Justice, who brought the lawsuit last February on behalf of some Jewish and Israeli students. In the statement, Barnard's president, Laura Ann Rosenbury, said the agreement "reflects our ongoing commitment to maintaining a campus that is safe, welcoming, and inclusive for all members of our community." The terms of the deal also drew immediate pushback from some students and faculty, who accused the university of capitulating to a legal strategy aimed at stifling legitimate pro-Palestinian activism on campus. "This settlement appears to equate criticism of Israel with antisemitism," said Nara Milanich, a Barnard history professor who is Jewish. "That is a problem for critical thought and academic freedom." As part of the agreement, the college will adopt contentious federal guidance to "consider" the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's definition of antisemitism and its examples, which include certain critiques of Israel. A newly-appointed Title VI coordinator will oversee compliance with the policy and produce an annual report on antisemitism for university leaders. Additionally, the university's leaders agreed not to recognize, meet or negotiate with Columbia University Apartheid Divest, the coalition behind last spring's student encampments. The group has called on both Columbia and Barnard to sever ties with companies that do business with Israel. As part of the deal, the university will also affirm that its endowment will not be used for expressing political positions, including "taking actions for the purpose of penalizing the government of a country or the commercial/financial activity within that country." The agreement follows a federal lawsuit brought last February that accused Barnard and Columbia of allowing Jewish and Israeli students to be "bombarded" by antisemitism during protests that erupted against Israel's military campaign in Gaza. The litigation against Columbia remains ongoing — though the university has already agreed to revamp its policies around protests, among other concessions made under threat from the Trump administration. New York University and Harvard University have entered into their own legal settlements following lawsuits focused on antisemitism. In the lawsuit against Columbia and Barnard, Jewish and Israeli students said they were subject to unchecked harassment during protests by "mobs of pro-Hamas students and faculty." Those who participated in the protests, including many Jewish students, have strongly disputed that characterization. The lawsuit also claimed that students who served in Israel's military were singled out, with some left "overwhelmed and unable to concentrate in class" after encountering signs accusing Israel of committing genocide and social media posts from fellow students. Starting next semester, students will be reminded that they can be subject to discipline for off-campus conduct, including social media posts. Barnard will also restrict where, when and how students can protest. And the university will ban face masks at demonstration used to "intimidate or interfere with the enforcement" of school policies. "Barnard's commitment to take meaningful actions to combat antisemitism demonstrates its leadership in the fight against antisemitism and upholding the rights of Jewish and Israeli students," said Marc Kasowitz, an attorney for the plaintiffs. "I encourage other colleges and universities to do the right thing and follow Barnard's lead."
Hamilton Spectator
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Barnard settles lawsuit brought by Jewish students, agreeing not to meet with pro-Palestinian group
NEW YORK (AP) — Barnard College has settled a lawsuit that accused the college of not doing enough to combat antisemitism on campus, agreeing to a litany of demands that include banning masks at protests and refusing to meet or negotiate with a coalition of pro-Palestinian student groups, according to a statement released Monday. The Manhattan college, an all-women's affiliate of Columbia University, will also establish a new Title VI coordinator to enforce against claims of discrimination. Beginning next semester, all students and staff will receive a message conveying a 'zero tolerance' policy for harassment of Jewish and Israeli students. The settlement was announced in a joint statement by Barnard and lawyers for two Jewish advocacy groups, Students Against Antisemitism and StandWithUs Center for Legal Justice, who brought the lawsuit last February on behalf of some Jewish and Israeli students. In the statement, Barnard's president, Laura Ann Rosenbury, said the agreement 'reflects our ongoing commitment to maintaining a campus that is safe, welcoming, and inclusive for all members of our community.' The terms of the deal also drew immediate pushback from some students and faculty, who accused the university of capitulating to a legal strategy aimed at stifling legitimate pro-Palestinian activism on campus. 'This settlement appears to equate criticism of Israel with antisemitism,' said Nara Milanich, a Barnard history professor who is Jewish. 'That is a problem for critical thought and academic freedom.' As part of the agreement, the college will adopt contentious federal guidance to 'consider' the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's definition of antisemitism and its examples, which include certain critiques of Israel. A newly-appointed Title VI coordinator will oversee compliance with the policy and produce an annual report on antisemitism for university leaders. Additionally, the university's leaders agreed not to recognize, meet or negotiate with Columbia University Apartheid Divest, the coalition behind last spring's student encampments. The group has called on both Columbia and Barnard to sever ties with companies that do business with Israel. As part of the deal, the university will also affirm that its endowment will not be used for expressing political positions, including 'taking actions for the purpose of penalizing the government of a country or the commercial/financial activity within that country.' The agreement follows a federal lawsuit brought last February that accused Barnard and Columbia of allowing Jewish and Israeli students to be 'bombarded' by antisemitism during protests that erupted against Israel's military campaign in Gaza. The litigation against Columbia remains ongoing — though the university has already agreed to revamp its policies around protests, among other concessions made under threat from the Trump administration. New York University and Harvard University have entered into their own legal settlements following lawsuits focused on antisemitism. In the lawsuit against Columbia and Barnard, Jewish and Israeli students said they were subject to unchecked harassment during protests by 'mobs of pro-Hamas students and faculty.' Those who participated in the protests, including many Jewish students, have strongly disputed that characterization. The lawsuit also claimed that students who served in Israel's military were singled out, with some left 'overwhelmed and unable to concentrate in class' after encountering signs accusing Israel of committing genocide and social media posts from fellow students. Starting next semester, students will be reminded that they can be subject to discipline for off-campus conduct, including social media posts. Barnard will also restrict where, when and how students can protest. And the university will ban face masks at demonstration used to 'intimidate or interfere with the enforcement' of school policies. 'Barnard's commitment to take meaningful actions to combat antisemitism demonstrates its leadership in the fight against antisemitism and upholding the rights of Jewish and Israeli students,' said Marc Kasowitz, an attorney for the plaintiffs. 'I encourage other colleges and universities to do the right thing and follow Barnard's lead.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Boston Globe
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Barnard College settles suit brought by Jewish students, agreeing not to meet with anti-Israel group
Advertisement In the statement, Barnard's president, Laura Ann Rosenbury, said the agreement 'reflects our ongoing commitment to maintaining a campus that is safe, welcoming, and inclusive for all members of our community.' Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up The terms of the deal also drew immediate pushback from some students and faculty, who accused the university of capitulating to a legal strategy aimed at stifling legitimate pro-Palestinian activism on campus. 'This settlement appears to equate criticism of Israel with antisemitism,' said Nara Milanich, a Barnard history professor who is Jewish. 'That is a problem for critical thought and academic freedom.' As part of the agreement, the college will adopt contentious federal guidance to 'consider' the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's definition of antisemitism and its examples, which include certain critiques of Israel. Advertisement A newly-appointed Title VI coordinator will oversee compliance with the policy and produce an annual report on antisemitism for university leaders. Additionally, the university's leaders agreed not to recognize, meet or negotiate with Columbia University Apartheid Divest, the coalition behind last spring's student encampments. The group has called on both Columbia and Barnard to sever ties with companies that do business with Israel. As part of the deal, the university will also affirm that its endowment will not be used for expressing political positions, including 'taking actions for the purpose of penalizing the government of a country or the commercial/financial activity within that country.' The agreement follows a federal lawsuit brought last February that accused Barnard and Columbia of allowing Jewish and Israeli students to be 'bombarded' by antisemitism during protests that erupted against Israel's military campaign in Gaza. The litigation against Columbia remains ongoing — though the university has already agreed to revamp its policies around protests, among other concessions made under threat from the Trump administration. New York University and Harvard University have entered into their own legal settlements following lawsuits focused on antisemitism. In the lawsuit against Columbia and Barnard, Jewish and Israeli students said they were subject to unchecked harassment during protests by 'mobs of pro-Hamas students and faculty.' Those who participated in the protests, including many Jewish students, have strongly disputed that characterization. The lawsuit also claimed that students who served in Israel's military were singled out, with some left 'overwhelmed and unable to concentrate in class' after encountering signs accusing Israel of committing genocide and social media posts from fellow students. Starting next semester, students will be reminded that they can be subject to discipline for off-campus conduct, including social media posts. Advertisement Barnard will also restrict where, when and how students can protest. And the university will ban face masks at demonstration used to 'intimidate or interfere with the enforcement' of school policies. 'Barnard's commitment to take meaningful actions to combat antisemitism demonstrates its leadership in the fight against antisemitism and upholding the rights of Jewish and Israeli students,' said Marc Kasowitz, an attorney for the plaintiffs. 'I encourage other colleges and universities to do the right thing and follow Barnard's lead.'
Winnipeg Free Press
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Barnard College settles suit brought by Jewish students, agreeing not to meet with anti-Israel group
NEW YORK (AP) — Barnard College has settled a lawsuit that accused the college of not doing enough to combat antisemitism on campus, agreeing to a litany of demands that include banning masks at protests and refusing to meet or negotiate with a coalition of pro-Palestinian student groups, according to a statement released Monday. The Manhattan college, an all-women's affiliate of Columbia University, will also establish a new Title VI coordinator to enforce against claims of discrimination. Beginning next semester, all students and staff will receive a message conveying a 'zero tolerance' policy for harassment of Jewish and Israeli students. The settlement was announced in a joint statement by Barnard and lawyers for two Jewish advocacy groups, Students Against Antisemitism and StandWithUs Center for Legal Justice, who brought the lawsuit last February on behalf of some Jewish and Israeli students. In the statement, Barnard's president, Laura Ann Rosenbury, said the agreement 'reflects our ongoing commitment to maintaining a campus that is safe, welcoming, and inclusive for all members of our community.' The terms of the deal also drew immediate pushback from some students and faculty, who accused the university of capitulating to a legal strategy aimed at stifling legitimate pro-Palestinian activism on campus. 'This settlement appears to equate criticism of Israel with antisemitism,' said Nara Milanich, a Barnard history professor who is Jewish. 'That is a problem for critical thought and academic freedom.' As part of the agreement, the college will adopt contentious federal guidance to 'consider' the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's definition of antisemitism and its examples, which include certain critiques of Israel. A newly-appointed Title VI coordinator will oversee compliance with the policy and produce an annual report on antisemitism for university leaders. Additionally, the university's leaders agreed not to recognize, meet or negotiate with Columbia University Apartheid Divest, the coalition behind last spring's student encampments. The group has called on both Columbia and Barnard to sever ties with companies that do business with Israel. As part of the deal, the university will also affirm that its endowment will not be used for expressing political positions, including 'taking actions for the purpose of penalizing the government of a country or the commercial/financial activity within that country.' The agreement follows a federal lawsuit brought last February that accused Barnard and Columbia of allowing Jewish and Israeli students to be 'bombarded' by antisemitism during protests that erupted against Israel's military campaign in Gaza. The litigation against Columbia remains ongoing — though the university has already agreed to revamp its policies around protests, among other concessions made under threat from the Trump administration. New York University and Harvard University have entered into their own legal settlements following lawsuits focused on antisemitism. Sundays Kevin Rollason's Sunday newsletter honouring and remembering lives well-lived in Manitoba. In the lawsuit against Columbia and Barnard, Jewish and Israeli students said they were subject to unchecked harassment during protests by 'mobs of pro-Hamas students and faculty.' Those who participated in the protests, including many Jewish students, have strongly disputed that characterization. The lawsuit also claimed that students who served in Israel's military were singled out, with some left 'overwhelmed and unable to concentrate in class' after encountering signs accusing Israel of committing genocide and social media posts from fellow students. Starting next semester, students will be reminded that they can be subject to discipline for off-campus conduct, including social media posts. Barnard will also restrict where, when and how students can protest. And the university will ban face masks at demonstration used to 'intimidate or interfere with the enforcement' of school policies. 'Barnard's commitment to take meaningful actions to combat antisemitism demonstrates its leadership in the fight against antisemitism and upholding the rights of Jewish and Israeli students,' said Marc Kasowitz, an attorney for the plaintiffs. 'I encourage other colleges and universities to do the right thing and follow Barnard's lead.'
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Barnard College staff alarmed by federal survey asking if they're Jewish
NEW YORK (AP) — When employees at Barnard College received a survey this week asking if they were Jewish, among other personal questions, many initially disregarded the message as spam from a federal government impersonator. The questionnaire, sent by text to their personal cellphones, linked to a Microsoft form bearing the logo of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. After instructing respondents to check a box indicating whether they were Jewish or Israeli, and whether they practiced Judaism, it asked if they had experienced harassment as a result, including 'unwelcome comments, jokes or discussions.' 'Your first thought is, 'this has to be fake,'' said Nara Milanich, a Barnard history professor who is Jewish. But on Wednesday, the recipients of the text messages, which were first reported by The Intercept, learned they were authentic. In an email to staff, Barnard's general counsel, Serena Longley, confirmed the survey was part of a federal probe into whether the university had discriminated against Jewish employees. The EEOC, a federal regulator, had ordered Barnard turn over staff contact information 'so that it could offer employees the option to voluntarily participate in their investigation,' Longley wrote. 'Participation in the survey is voluntary,' she added. Barnard faculty estimated that well over half of the university's staff had received the messages, which have set off anger and panic in recent days. 'That the government is putting together lists of Jews, ostensibly as part of a campaign to fight antisemitism, is really chilling,' Milanich said. 'As a historian, I have to say it feels a little uncomfortable.' Neither the EEOC nor Barnard College responded to emails seeking comment. The surveys come as the Trump administration has enacted funding cuts and other punitive measures against universities across the country that it claims have not done enough to quell antisemitism on campus. Barnard, a sister school of Columbia University, has been the site of frequent and at times disruptive pro-Palestinian protests against Israel's military campaign in Gaza. Last week, Columbia University warned a smaller subset of its faculty that they may be contacted by EEOC as part of a new investigation into antisemitism on campus. The email, reviewed by The Associated Press, indicated the federal regulator was interested in speaking with members of the Institute for Israel and Jewish Studies, as well as the Task Force on Antisemitism. It was not immediately clear whether those members had received the same questionnaire. Inquiries to Columbia University were not returned. Debbie Becher, a Sociology professor at Barnard, who is also Jewish, said the surveys suggested the Trump administration was 'fishing for complaints about discrimination based on Jewish status.' 'They're not concerned about antisemitism, they're inflaming antisemitism,' Becher added. 'They're concerned with tearing down the institutions of higher education and shutting down any speech that is pro-Palestinian or critical of Israel.'
