Jewish students at Rutgers are frustrated with the Biden administration’s handling of antisemitism on campus, feeling it’s insufficient.
New Brunswick: Jewish students at Rutgers are really upset. They think the Biden administration made a deal that lets the university off easy for its antisemitism issues.
Recently, the Department of Education announced a settlement requiring Rutgers to take steps against discrimination. This comes after a staggering 400 reports of hate incidents on campus, with many targeting Jewish students.
Some incidents were pretty alarming. One student posted online, encouraging violence against an Israeli student. Another Jewish student’s dorm was vandalized with a Swastika. It’s been a tough time for many Jewish students at Rutgers.
As part of the deal, Rutgers has to tell everyone that discrimination won’t be tolerated and review past incidents. But many students feel this isn’t enough to tackle the ongoing antisemitism since the attacks on October 7.
Camilla Vaynberg, a student leader, expressed doubts about whether these measures will actually help. She worries that once the current president leaves, the commitment to these actions might fade away.
Ben Stern, a sophomore, echoed these concerns. He pointed out that the university has been making statements and reviews for months, yet antisemitic incidents keep rising. He feels the Department of Education has failed to protect Jewish students.
Critics are also saying this settlement might be a way for the Biden administration to prevent the incoming Trump administration from taking stronger actions against Rutgers.
Rep. Tim Walberg criticized the Biden administration for letting universities like Rutgers off the hook in their final days. Trump has promised to take a hard stance against colleges that promote antisemitism.
Former Rutgers Hillel Director Andrew Getraer also slammed the deal, saying it shows the administration doesn’t care about antisemitism. Many students, like Joe Gindi, are disappointed, feeling this agreement doesn’t do enough to stop hate on campus.
Jewish students have been raising alarms about antisemitism since the Hamas attacks last year. The settlement requires Rutgers to issue a statement against discrimination and review past reports, but many feel it’s just not enough.
In a troubling incident, an LGBTQ Orthodox Jewish student was targeted with an anti-Israel flyer outside their dorm, highlighting the hostile environment some students face.
Rutgers and the Biden administration have not responded to requests for comments on this situation.
