By Jonathan Stempel
(Reuters) -Harvard University will provide additional protections for Jewish students under a settlement announced on Tuesday that resolves two lawsuits accusing the Ivy League school of becoming a hotbed of rampant antisemitism.
Harvard said it will adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism, including specific examples of discrimination and harassment, when evaluating whether conduct violates its non-discrimination and anti-bullying policies.
The university will also address Frequently Asked Questions about its policies online, report annually for five years on its enforcement efforts, and provide training on combating antisemitism to staff who review discrimination complaints.
Harvard’s settlement resolves a lawsuit by Students Against Antisemitism, and a lawsuit by Jewish Americans for Fairness in Education and the Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law.
Both lawsuits were among many accusing major universities of encouraging antisemitism after war broke out between Israel and Hamas in October 2023, leading to several months of pro-Palestinian protests on American college campuses.
Marc Kasowitz, a lawyer for Students Against Antisemitism, in an interview said he had “great confidence” that Harvard was committed to protecting its Jewish students, including those targeted simply for supporting Israel.
“Statements about destroying the state of Israel, murdering Israelis, and that sort of thing are antisemitic statements,” he said. “That gives us confidence that these measures are going to be very, very protective of the interests and rights of Jewish students on the Harvard campus.”
HARVARD PLEDGES A ‘WELCOMING’ CAMPUS
J