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Maryland. The University of Maryland’s Student Government Association voted 29-0-1 to pass a BDS resolution calling for divestment from companies tied to Israel. The final vote was held on Yom Kippur,
sparking backlash from Jewish leaders who said the timing excluded students observing the holiday. “Holding a vote that seeks to demonize the Jewish homeland on a day when Jewish students will not be able to participate is exclusionary, biased and flat-out wrong,” said Rabbi Ari Israel of Maryland Hillel. SGA leaders defended the process, but UMD officials emphasized the resolution is symbolic and does not affect university policy.
DEEPER: To read more about the campus climate at Maryland and other schools, dig into ADL’s Campus Antisemitism Report Card.
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Michigan. A billboard calling for support for Jewish safety on campus was defaced with anti-Israel graffiti at the University of Michigan. The damaged billboard, which said “Being Jewish shouldn’t require campus security,” has been taken down. Archie Gottesman, a co-founder of JewBelong, which cosponsored the billboard, vowed to replace it within days and said of the vandalism: “It’s what cowards do, they deface things instead of having conversations.”
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A billboard at the University of Illinois with the same message as the one that was defaced at Michigan. (Source: JewBelong | Instagram) |
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Stanford. After long-brewing proceedings, 11 students who had barricaded themselves inside the office of the President of Stanford University in June 2024 were indicted by a grand jury on charges of felony vandalism and trespassing.
In the incident, which is estimated by prosecutors to have caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages, anti-Israel protesters broke into the building and left graffiti on the quad with messages such as “kill cops” and “death to Israel.” Earlier in the process that led to these indictments, Santa Clara County District Attorney
Jeff Rosen explained the charges very succinctly: “Dissent is American, vandalism is criminal.”
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Student protesters at the Stanford President’s offices in 2024. (Source: Greta Reich/The Stanford Daily) |
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UNLV. The U.S. Justice Department has launched a civil rights investigation into how the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) has handled claims of antisemitism on campus, amid broader federal scrutiny of universities over anti-Israel protests. The probe will assess whether UNLV, which receives federal funding, engaged in discriminatory practices following 10/7. UNLV says it will cooperate fully with the investigation.
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Michigan State. A senior at Michigan State University is facing disciplinary charges
after a protest during the university’s Sparticipation event, where he and others allegedly confronted President Kevin Guskiewicz over MSU's financial ties to Israel. University officials and police described the protest as aggressive and intimidating, making the president feel unsafe. The complaint notes that the protester has been arrested twice before for campus protests. He denies the accusations and has opted for a hearing before a review board, facing possible sanctions that could impact his job (with the university) and his degree prospects depending on the decisions of university leaders he was charged with trying to intimidate.
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Columbia. A group of Jewish grad students at Columbia University have filed a federal complaint
against the union that represents them, claiming that the union is using resources to push BDS-related goals rather than focusing on workplace rights. The group of Jewish student workers said of the union: “We are concerned about the lack of transparency, undemocratic operation, and unprofessional conduct within [Student Workers of Columbia].” That union is part of UAW Local 2710.
DEEPER: Having problems with antisemitism within your union? ADL has a toolkit for that...
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Rider. Rider University in New Jersey is investigating antisemitic vandalism
discovered in a classroom on Sept. 29, just days before Yom Kippur. It’s the third antisemitic incident reported on campus in six months. Rider Hillel president Jenna Forgash said the vandalism “serves as a painful reminder of how prevalent antisemitism is.” In a campus-wide email, Rider’s Student Government Association added: “Hate, in any form, will not ever be accepted… we encourage everyone to lift each other up and strengthen our campus community.” University leaders condemned the act, pledged support for Jewish students, and emphasized Rider must remain “a campus free from hate, intimidation and fear.” | 
