Garber reveals fresh initiatives to combat antisemitism and anti-Israeli prejudice

Harvard University will expand upon its earlier efforts and introduce new initiatives to address antisemitism and anti-Israeli prejudice, President Alan M. Garber declared on Tuesday. The initiatives outlined by Garber coincide with the publication of the final report and suggestions from the Presidential Task Force on Combating Antisemitism and Anti-Israeli Prejudice.

In his community communication, Garber expressed gratitude to the task force members for “conducting their work with a sense of openness, empathy, and compassion during a challenging time within our community,” emphasizing that their report represents “the culmination of thorough, extended efforts by some of the most generous and devoted members of our University.”

The initiatives proposed by Garber emphasize three primary aspects: cultivating an overarching sense of inclusion and encouraging respectful discourse; modifying and implementing policies, procedures, and training; and enhancing academic and residential experiences. Building on the University’s efforts over the past 15 months, the new initiatives include launching a significant program to foster viewpoint diversity; allocating resources for a research project centered on antisemitism; conducting further reviews of disciplinary policies and procedures to evaluate their effectiveness; and increasing resources to provide direct support to students experiencing antisemitism and other forms of discrimination.

Harvard’s Schools are actively evaluating task force recommendations related to admissions, appointments, curriculum, and orientation and training programs, including those coordinated by recognized student organizations. Deans will collaborate to strengthen existing academic review processes for courses and curricula to ensure they meet the highest standards of academic excellence and intellectual rigor. Action plans tailored for the College, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and each professional School will be submitted to the president’s office by the conclusion of the spring semester.

“The breadth of recommendations presented by both task forces highlights the magnitude of the challenges we face. They must be addressed with commitment at every level of the University, effectively tackling issues that emerge where our students gather or reside; ensuring clear communication of expectations for both students and instructors in the classroom; fostering lively debate and open dialogue that encourages everyone to voice their ideas freely; safeguarding the right to protest and dissent while avoiding disruption, harassment, and threats; and, when our policies are breached, ensuring that our disciplinary procedures are fair, consistent, and effective. If we seek to effect substantial and lasting change across Harvard, it is imperative that we act decisively in each of these areas,” Garber articulated in his message.

The release of the task force’s report and recommendations concludes an effort that began in spring 2024 to document the experiences of Jewish and Israeli students, faculty, and staff on campus.

Through a series of listening sessions and an online survey conducted last spring and summer, the task force collected substantial feedback from students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Members were not tasked with investigating the reports they encountered, though participants were informed of University policies under which they could file official complaints. Accounts are presented in the report as they were received. The task force also carried out a thorough historical assessment of the Jewish experience at Harvard from the 1920s to the present. 

The report includes findings and a series of recommendations aimed at addressing antisemitism and anti-Israeli prejudice throughout the University. By reviewing concerns related to specific courses, events, and programs, the report also identifies particular areas where the task force believes the University can enhance its approach to educating about Israel and Palestine and to ensuring that all students feel comfortable expressing their thoughts without fear or hesitation.

Research and findings

The task force, whose members were appointed in late February 2024, commenced their work by conducting a series of listening sessions with students, staff, and faculty in March and April 2024. Nearly 50 sessions were organized with around 500 attendees. Following these listening sessions, the Task Force on Combating Antisemitism and Anti-Israeli Prejudice collaborated with the Task Force on Combating Anti-Muslim, Anti-Arab, and Anti-Palestinian Prejudice to jointly administer a University-wide survey.

From those involved in the listening sessions, several themes emerged regarding the Jewish and Israeli experience on campus. Most prominently was the decline of the campus atmosphere following the terrorist attack on Oct. 7, 2023. Jewish students in general, and those identifying as Zionist specifically, reported a less welcoming environment, prompting some to conceal their religious identity. Feelings of exclusion and marginalization were prevalent among Israeli students.

“The listening sessions offered insight into the immediate experiences of Jewish students on campus, both in the classroom and within the broader campus community,” remarked Jared Ellias, task force co-chair and the Scott…
“““html

C. Collins, Professor of Law at Harvard Law School. “While particular instances of antisemitism are of great concern, there exists a broader issue of Jewish students experiencing a diminished sense of belonging at Harvard and feeling less at ease expressing their authentic selves and identities.

The task force further examined programs, events, and courses at specific Schools that were perceived to lack balance in their treatment of Israel and Palestine. In the report, task force members express apprehension regarding these offerings and whether they align with Harvard’s standards for excellence and academic integrity. The authors contend that perceived bias within academic environments directly affects the sense of belonging that Jewish and Israeli students experience on campus.

The online survey within the Harvard community revealed that, across nearly all categories, Jewish student respondents reported heightened levels of discomfort and alienation compared to their Christian or atheist/agnostic counterparts. Although the number of survey participants was not as extensive as other University-wide surveys, the data facilitated a meaningful analysis of the differences in responses by subgroup. Of the 2,295 respondents, 477 identified as Jewish. Jewish student participants expressed greater concern regarding their physical and mental safety. They were also more inclined to feel uneasy expressing their viewpoints, particularly their political perspectives.

“Harvard emphasizes recruiting exceptional students, staff, and faculty from across the nation and the globe, and our findings suggest that at some point recently, we ceased to seek ways to connect with one another as members of the Harvard community and instead began to concentrate on the issues that separate us,” Ellias stated. “The faculty on the task force were all quite surprised at how much student life has evolved since our college days.”

Numerous student participants voiced concerns about the University’s reactions to incidents of bias and criticized both policies and the promptness of those reactions. These worries and experiences were intensified by what they observed from peers and, in some instances, instructors on social media, which frequently amplified hostility and hateful discourse.

In addition to the qualitative and quantitative findings, the Task Force on Combating Antisemitism and Anti-Israeli Bias conducted a historical analysis of the Jewish experience at Harvard. This experience, the authors assert, has been influenced by both the number of Jewish students on campus and the impact of global events on discussion, dialogue, and activism. The report identifies the decline of respectful engagement regarding Israel and Palestine as deeply alarming and a significant contributing factor to the current campus atmosphere.

“The historical analysis granted us a distinctive perspective on how the Jewish experience at Harvard has transformed over time,” remarked Derek Penslar, co-chair of the task force and the William Lee Frost Professor of Jewish History in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. “It is evident that global events have frequently influenced campus occurrences and activities. However, it also became evident that civil discourse on the matter of Israel and Palestine has diminished over time, signaling to the faculty that we must guide our students in learning to engage with each other respectfully, even when we disagree.”

Final Recommendations

In June 2024, the task force released a set of initial recommendations that identified short-term opportunities to tackle areas of concern before the 2024-25 academic year. Those recommendations urged leadership to clarify University values; take action against discrimination, bullying, harassment, and hatred; enhance student disciplinary processes; implement education and training on antisemitism and anti-Israeli bias; promote constructive dialogue; and support Jewish life on campus.

The University introduced a series of modifications, including new campus and protest regulations; centralized fact-finding in disciplinary cases across Schools; enhanced training opportunities for faculty, staff, and students on identifying and preventing antisemitism; and new initiatives within the Schools to facilitate constructive dialogue and disagreements across differences.

In the final report, the task force has elaborated on these initial recommendations. The final recommendations are categorized as follows:

Admissions and Early Student Experiences: The task force recommends a focus on attracting and admitting students who are eager to enrich a learning community rooted in open inquiry and mutual respect. The report emphasizes that once on campus, the University should ensure that these values and goals are highlighted in early student experiences.

Academics and Academic Offerings: The task force urges the University to aim for a classroom experience free from antisemitism, anti-Israeli bias, and all forms of discrimination. Furthermore, the report recommends that the University’s academic offerings should significantly increase the diversity and availability of opportunities for the study of Jewish civilization, antisemitism and the Holocaust, Israel, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Co-Curricular Activities, Residential Life, and Pluralism: The task force advises providing student organizations with support and guidance to ensure their activities do not have antisemitic or anti-Israeli impacts, thereby enhancing the Harvard learning community. According to the task force, this recommendation aligns with fostering a pluralistic community where students can express diverse opinions and viewpoints.

Religious Life: The task force recommends measures to strengthen religious life on campus, better supporting Jewish students and students of various faiths.

Administrative Infrastructure and Complaint Mechanisms: The task force advocates for a strong administrative framework to support and coordinate efforts. This recommendation includes bolstering complaint mechanisms and developing equitable disciplinary processes across Schools.

Oversight: The task force calls for changes related to governance issues to reinforce faculty oversight of educational programs and instructor training across Schools.

---

Read the complete report of the Task Force on Combating Antisemitism and Anti-Israeli Bias, along with President Garber’s message regarding the new University action plan, and additional information on the action steps Harvard has taken in response to the concerns, information, and recommendations presented by the task force.

“`