NYU, Students Settle Lawsuit Over ‘Egregious’ Antisemitism (2)

New York University reached a settlement with three Jewish students who claimed in a lawsuit that the school failed to protect them from “egregious” antisemitism that worsened after the start of the Israel-Hamas war.

No details of the accord were provided in a message Monday from a spokesperson for the Manhattan federal court’s district executive, who said a status conference in the case scheduled for Tuesday was canceled.

The parties agreed to a confidential settlement, including monetary terms, NYU spokesperson John Beckman said in a statement.

“None of the confidential terms detracts from NYU’s obligations to combat antisemitism under the agreement,” Beckman said.

Searing Criticism

The NYU students sued in November amid searing criticism of college administrators at multiple East Coast schools. The suit alleged that attacks on Jewish students escalated since Hamas, designated a terrorist group by the US and the European Union, attacked Israel on Oct. 7. Since then, many students and faculty “openly and enthusiastically” endorsed Hamas, according to the complaint.

As a result of the settlement, NYU is instigating a series of changes. They include updating the discussion of antisemitism in a Guidance and Expectations for Student Conduct document, including it as a topic in training that’s mandatory for NYU students and staff, and dedicating more academic resources to the area, such as a focus on the study of antisemitism and Hebrew and Judaic studies. The school will also strengthen its existing relationship with Tel Aviv University in Israel.

Lawyers for the students didn’t immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

Read More: NYU Sued by Students Over ‘Egregious’ Antisemitism on Campus

The explosion of antisemitism and Islamophobia on US college campuses late last year prompted a vow from President Joe Biden’s administration to use the law in the face of campus threats and violence.

US Measures

The US Education Department announced resources aimed at ensuring schools and college campuses have the tools they need to protect students from discrimination and harassment because of their race, color or national origin, including students who are or are perceived to be Jewish, Muslim, Israeli, Arab or Palestinian. The department’s civil rights office also opened multiple investigations into individual schools.

The department announced Monday that Brown University had voluntarily agreed to clarify and enhance policies and procedures on discrimination and harassment complaints, including those related to antisemitism. Brown denied violating civil rights laws.

The NYU case is Ingber v. New York University, 23-cv-10023, US District Court, Southern District of New York (Manhattan).

(Updates with comment by NYU spokesperson in first section and further details of settlement in second.)

--With assistance from Chris Dolmetsch.

To contact the reporters on this story:
Peter Blumberg in San Francisco at pblumberg1@bloomberg.net;
Janet Lorin in New York at jlorin@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story:
Sara Forden at sforden@bloomberg.net

Steve Stroth, Peter Jeffrey

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