New York University (NYU) announced a settlement reached in a federal antisemitism lawsuit brought by Jewish students in a joint statement issued on Tuesday.
NYU juniors Bella Ingber, Sabrina Maslavi, and Saul Tawil filed the lawsuit on November 14 in Manhattan federal court, accusing the university of fostering an environment of antisemitism and failing to consistently enforce its anti-discrimination policies since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict. The plaintiffs alleged that the administration allowed antisemitic chants like “gas the Jews” and “Hitler was right” while neglecting to address other forms of bigotry.
The university consistently maintained that it had taken decisive action to eliminate antisemitism and contended that the lawsuit should be dismissed.
Similar lawsuits have been filed against other large US universities in the wake of the Israel-Hamas War claiming that their administrations have not done enough to combat antisemitism on campus.
While the plaintiffs alleged that NYU administrators, including President Linda Mills, dismissed or inadequately addressed complaints from Jewish students, Mills expressed a strong commitment to combating discrimination in the joint settlement. She stated, “We are committed to continuing our vigorous efforts to confront discrimination, including antisemitism, and the settlement in this litigation is yet another step in this direction.”
The settlement includes undisclosed monetary terms and confirms NYU’s commitment to treating all discrimination allegations equally under its Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy. NYU will create a Title VI Coordinator position to ensure compliance with civil rights laws and the consistent handling of discrimination complaints. Additionally, NYU will update its conduct guidelines, provide mandatory antisemitism training, and send annual messages reinforcing its zero-tolerance policy. The university will also enhance academic resources focusing on antisemitism and strengthen its ties with Tel Aviv University.
In the statement, counsel for the plaintiffs Marc Kasowitz said, “NYU, by entering into this historic settlement, is to be commended for taking a leading position among American universities in combating antisemitism on campus. Other universities should promptly follow their lead.”
