US Civil Rights Commission to hear Columbia students in antisemitism probe: Experts and campus representatives to testify
Students from Columbia University are set to share their experiences with on-campus antisemitism on February 20 as part of a listening session hosted by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. The development was first reported by The Columbia Spectator, citing a commission spokesperson.The listening session will mark the commission’s first public forum in its ongoing investigation into how the federal government has responded to antisemitism on college campuses following Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. The probe, now nearly a year long, is examining responses at 10 universities, though it remains unclear which institutions are currently under review.
Students to testify in person and virtually
According to The Columbia Spectator, participating students will appear both in person at the commission’s Washington, D.C., headquarters and virtually. The exact number of Columbia students expected to testify has not been disclosed.The session will follow a formal briefing during which the commission will hear from 23 federal, legal, academic, and policy experts. Students from Harvard University, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, and American University are also scheduled to speak.The commission is evaluating the actions of the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, the Department of Justice, and the Department of Health and Human Services in addressing campus antisemitism complaints.
Columbia’s changing status in the investigation
Reuters previously reported that the commission had sent interrogatories to Columbia and the University of Minnesota. A commission spokesperson confirmed to The Columbia Spectator earlier this week that Columbia had received such a request. However, the spokesperson later stated that Columbia is no longer part of the sample of colleges under investigation, without providing a reason.A university spokesperson did not respond to The Columbia Spectator’s request for comment.The investigation comes amid heightened federal scrutiny of Columbia. In March 2025, the administration of Donald Trump revoked $400 million in federal funding, citing concerns over the university’s handling of antisemitism complaints. A July 2025 agreement later resolved pending civil rights investigations, including a Title VI violation, and established a $21 million compensation fund for employees who reported experiencing antisemitism since October 7, 2023.
Broader political and historical context
Commissioners Peter Kirsanow and Mondaire Jones are leading the inquiry. The commission voted unanimously in January 2025 to open the investigation following a bipartisan September 2024 letter from 23 lawmakers urging action over rising antisemitism on campuses.As reported by The Columbia Spectator, the commission’s findings will be published in September in its fiscal year 2026 statutory enforcement report, titled “The Federal Response to the Rise in Antisemitism on American College and University Campuses.”
