NYU Sued by 3 Jewish Students Who Allege It Allows Antisemitism on Campus

Three New York University (NYU) Jewish students are suing the university in federal court, alleging the university has violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by allowing antisemitism on campus.

Students Bella Ingber, Sabrina Maslavi, and Saul Tawil filed the lawsuit Nov. 14 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, claiming NYU has refused to enforce anti-discrimination policies.

In the lawsuit, they allege NYU has allowed antisemitism on campus for years and that antisemitic acts on campus have worsened since the Israel-Hamas war began Oct. 7. It also alleges NYU has been aware of rising antisemitism on campus but has failed to act despite promising to do so.

They also claim Jewish students’ complaints are ignored by NYU leadership, including Linda Mills, who became president in July.

“NYU has not ‘addressed and ameliorated’ campus antisemitism, as the university committed to do three years ago,” the lawsuit reads. “In fact, shockingly, NYU has done the opposite — it has deliberately sought to burnish its antisemitic credentials and make the campus environment even more hostile and frightening for Jewish students.”

Alongside court costs and compensatory damages, the students want the university to take action against NYU community members engaging in antisemitism.

The plaintiffs want NYU to take necessary, appropriate, and remedial measures to prevent discrimination against Jewish students by terminating administration, faculty, and employees “responsible for the antisemitic abuse permeating the school” and suspending or expelling students who engage in antisemitism.

A spokesperson for the university, in an emailed statement to BestColleges, said the students’ lawsuit was “replete with false claims” and ignores the many steps the university has taken to fight antisemitism and keep its campus safe.

“Antisemitic language, violence, and threats of violence all violate NYU’s rules and are not tolerated; we take such incidents extremely seriously, respond to and investigate each one, and violators are referred to our student disciplinary office,” NYU spokesperson John Beckman said in the email. “NYU is committed to safeguarding our community and providing an environment in which all students can live and learn in peace.”

“NYU looks forward to setting the record straight, to challenging this lawsuit’s untrue narrative, to making clear the many efforts NYU has made to combat antisemitism and provide a safe environment for Jewish students and non-Jewish students, and to prevailing in court.”