CINCINNATI — The University of Cincinnati is one of 60 universities in the United States that have been sent a letter from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) warning the school is at risk of "potential enforcement actions if they do not fulfill their obligations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act to protect Jewish students on campus."
The letter was sent to all universities that are presently under investigation for Title VI violations relating to antisemitic harassment and discrimination, according to a news release from the OCR.
"Within the past two months, we got another OCR report about anti-Semitism and anti-Palestinian discrimination," said Maxon Agosta, communication officer for UC's Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA). "We are very much in tune with our Jewish and Palestinian community on campus, it kind of has affected all of them."
Title VI prohibits any institution receiving federal funds from discriminating based on race, color and national origin. National origin includes shared Jewish ancestry, according to the news release.
“The Department is deeply disappointed that Jewish students studying on elite U.S. campuses continue to fear for their safety amid the relentless antisemitic eruptions that have severely disrupted campus life for more than a year. University leaders must do better,” said Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. “U.S. colleges and universities benefit from enormous public investments funded by U.S. taxpayers. That support is a privilege and it is contingent on scrupulous adherence to federal anti-discrimination laws.”
Hear the reactions of University of Cincinnati students in the video below:
The Trump administration has already pulled $400 million from Columbia University "due to the school’s continued inaction to protect Jewish students from discrimination."
"Just the timeline of this happening directly after UC was the first university in the State of Ohio to pre-comply with all of the initiatives, closing down buildings and threatening even the departments of women and gender studies, everyone feels that they're being under attack, especially international immigrant students," said Laila Shaikh, founder and president of UC's Students for Justice in Palestine.
According to an open investigation filed by the U.S. Department of Education, a November 2023 complaint stated "the school has seen a spike in antisemitic incidents, including but not limited to, human feces being smeared on the door of a Jewish University-affiliated fraternity, an 'ally against antisemitism' yard sign owned by a member of the campus Jewish community being burned down and hate speech being spewed by individuals rallying on campus with the intent to 'free Palestine.'" The Jewish students at the University of Cincinnati stated in the complaint "we are no longer safe, welcome or are in an environment where we can learn and get an education without fear of persecution, hate and violence."
You can read the full complaint below:
University of Cincinnati Title VI complaint by WCPO 9 News on Scribd
Cincinnati's Jewish Community Relations Council released the following statement to WCPO 9:
"The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights findings regarding allegations of harassment and discrimination against Jewish students at the University of Cincinnati highlight the urgent need to address antisemitism on campus. As the public affairs arm of the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati, the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) has been aware of many of these incidents and has proactively engaged with UC to express our concerns and advocate for change. We are encouraged by the university’s commitment to addressing these issues through the resolution agreement, which represents an important step toward fostering a more inclusive and safer campus environment. JCRC remains dedicated to working collaboratively with UC to ensure sustained progress, as no student should ever feel unsafe due to their religious, cultural, or racial identity."
We have reached out to UC for a comment but have not yet heard back.
UC has already been in the crosshairs of federal policy changes since President Donald Trump took office. The university recently adjusted DEI practices following the Ohio State Senate's passing of a bill banning diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs and initiatives.
The Ohio State University and Indiana University, Bloomington were also among the schools listed.
To see a complete list of the universities, click here.
"People are just marching, chanting, holding up signs and speaking to their experience. For them to claim that there is anything inherently violent is just another attempt to villainize Palestinian students and Pro-Palestinian students, as we're seeing across the nation right now," said Shaikh
