March 27, 2025
The following column appeared in the Times-Union of Albany.
By Marisa Bearak
Antisemitism on college campuses is no longer just a concern. It’s a crisis.
Across the country, Jewish students face a rising tide of harassment, intimidation and discrimination. In New York, home to the largest Jewish community outside of Israel, the Legislature has a responsibility to act.
Legislation (S4559/A5448) introduced by Sen. Toby Ann Stavisky and Assemblymember Nily Rozic would be a critical step in ensuring that colleges and universities adhere to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Title VI prohibits discrimination based on race, color, or national origin in programs that receive federal funding.
Today, there is a backlog of more than 20,000 Title VI cases, which means cases can take months or years to resolve. Meanwhile, students are left vulnerable, with no immediate recourse when faced with antisemitic discrimination. The bill would require every college and university in New York to appoint a Title VI coordinator, ensuring that complaints are handled swiftly and thoroughly.
Having a dedicated professional on campus means that all students would have a clear pathway to report incidents and that institutions will be held accountable for addressing them.
The American Jewish Committee’s State of Antisemitism in America 2024 Report noted that 35% of Jewish college students say they have experienced antisemitism during their time on campus, and more than 30% report they have felt unsafe or uncomfortable at a campus event because of their Jewish identity.
Ensuring every college has a Title VI coordinator will not eliminate antisemitism overnight, but it will create an essential mechanism for accountability. Too many universities have failed to act when Jewish students report harassment, allowing a toxic atmosphere to fester. A campus-level coordinator will help prevent complaints from languishing and ensure they are addressed promptly with the seriousness they deserve.
Federal enforcement of Title VI is not enough. The state must take responsibility for ensuring that its institutions uphold the basic rights of its students. If universities can swiftly respond to other forms of discrimination, they can and must do the same when Jewish students are targeted.
This bill, which has bipartisan support, would reaffirm that antisemitism has no place in higher education, that Jewish students have the same right to safety and inclusion as anyone else, and that New York will not stand by as hatred festers on its campuses.
Marisa Bearak is assistant director of American Jewish Committee New York.
