Nonprofit names Seattle's UW among top anti-Jewish colleges in US

A nonprofit advocacy group, StopAntisemitism, has labeled the University of Washington (UW) one of the "most anti-Jewish" colleges in the United States. 

The group’s report, titled Antisemitism on College and University Campuses Report Card, criticizes UW for failing to address rising antisemitic incidents in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war. The report, which gave the school an "F" grade, points to a lack of condemnation from the university and highlights a federal complaint over antisemitic incidents.

Pro-Israel protest at UW

According to the advocacy group, UW failed to intervene as pro-Palestinian encampments, some of which were seen as illegal, were protected by campus police last spring. The university’s response to these issues, the group argues, demonstrates a troubling environment for Jewish students.

The university disagrees, with UW spokesperson Victor Balta issuing the following statement:

"The University of Washington takes the safety and security of all of our students, including Jewish students, very seriously. Rather than respond to any outside organization’s criteria, we are responding to concerns through thoughtful engagement directly with our students, faculty, staff and the broader community. We recently announced new polices, processes and trainings in response to the task force report on antisemitism — as well as the task force report on Islamophobia — and we encourage any Jewish student facing bias or harassment on campus to report it through our university bias or student conduct reporting tools. These reporting mechanisms are actively reviewed, and follow-up is coordinated by the Office of Student Life. Situations involving imminent danger should be reported to law enforcement immediately."

The university has its own task force focused on antisemitism and Islamophobia. In an October report, the task force acknowledged UW fell short in making Jewish students feel welcome. The task force’s findings indicated that 60 percent of Jewish students reported not feeling welcome because of their identity, while 65% said they felt the need to hide their Jewish identity.

StopAntisemitism urges Jewish families to think twice before sending their children to the University of Washington, calling the school's track record unacceptable.

Aside from the perceived antisemitism, discrimination has also been reported by Palestinian, Middle Eastern and Muslim students and staff at UW, with the task force noting that both antisemitism and Islamophobia have long histories on campus, predating the recent conflict in the Middle East.

As high school seniors complete their college applications, UW’s reputation may face new scrutiny. Applications for freshman undergraduates for UW were due Nov. 15.

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