Jewish faculty members at Columbia University filed a formal complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on Tuesday, alleging the institution has fostered a hostile environment for Jews who support Palestinian rights and criticize Israel. The professors assert that Columbia took sides in a complex international crisis and retaliated against those who did not align with what they describe as the university's pro-Zionist stance.
In a statement released alongside the EEOC filing, the professors said Columbia took disciplinary actions against community members whose views “conflicted in any way with the ardently pro-Zionist and pro-Israeli position, even or especially if those community members were Jewish.” They reported being called epithets such as “kapos” and “self-hating Jews,” subjected to harassment investigations, and receiving death threats. Some faculty members said they were fired, forced into retirement, or removed from administrative roles for holding positions that diverged from the university's favored views.
The complaint includes detailed accounts from multiple professors. Joseph Howley, a classics professor, said he and other Jewish faculty attempted to mediate between student protesters and Columbia's administration. “We spoke as Jews about the University and how we thought it should protect its interests; we were attacked as Jews, or as bad Jews, or as fake Jews, by people who carried the University's authority or knew they had its implicit support,” Howley wrote.
Several faculty members described a climate where the university implied that all Jews identify with Israel, labeling that assumption “textbook antisemitism.” Many said their opposition to Zionism and Israel's military campaign in Gaza is rooted in moral or religious convictions, citing longstanding disagreements within their own families. One professor noted that the banning of Jewish groups critical of Israel, on grounds of antisemitism, effectively meant the university had decided what it was appropriate for a Jew to believe.
The filing comes amid broader scrutiny of Columbia's handling of antisemitism. Last July, the university agreed to pay the Trump administration $221 million to restore federal funding that had been halted after an investigation into antisemitism on campus. The administration had accused Columbia of failing to combat hate against Jewish students. Of that settlement, $200 million is directed to the federal government over three years, and $21 million goes to the EEOC.
Columbia is among several major universities, including Harvard, that have faced allegations from the Trump administration of mishandling antisemitism. Harvard recently asked a federal judge to dismiss the administration's lawsuit, arguing that the litigation represents “unconstitutional retaliation” and violates First Amendment protections. The Hill has reached out to Columbia for comment on the new EEOC claim.
This latest complaint underscores deepening divisions on campus over the Israel-Hamas war and raises questions about academic freedom and institutional neutrality. As political tensions escalate, the case could set a precedent for how universities navigate protests and faculty dissent on highly charged international issues.
