The federal Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights is investigating several Philadelphia-area schools due to allegations of antisemitism. Those include Temple University and the School District of Philadelphia.
But now it’s reached an agreement with one of them: Drexel University.
Both parties announced the agreement via email and social media on Aug. 2.
Under it, Drexel will review and revise policies and procedures for addressing complaints of discrimination, enhance training for students and employees on prohibited harassment and conduct a campus climate survey to assess the prevalence of antisemitism and other forms of discrimination, according to the agreement. Drexel will also review the 35 allegations of harassment over Jewish ancestry that led to the investigation.
The investigation covered 16 months ending in January, meaning the incidents started before Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel. It began after a complaint following a dormitory fire on the door of a suite where a Jewish student lived.
Drexel also saw an anti-Israel encampment emerge on its campus in May. Among the protesters’ demands were calls to disband the school’s Hillel and Chabad houses.
Drexel President John Fry released a statement on the agreement.
“As OCR announced today, Drexel has voluntarily agreed to continue its ongoing and proactive efforts both to prevent discrimination and harassment and to clarify and strengthen our policies and procedures for responding to all complaints of discrimination and harassment,” Fry wrote. “That applies to antisemitic and anti-Muslim behavior, as well as to all unlawful discrimination and conduct on or off campus that creates a hostile environment for any member of our community based on race, color, or national origin.”
The president continued: “In entering into the voluntary resolution agreement it is important to note that OCR did not issue any findings of non-compliance. In lieu of continuing a protracted OCR investigation, the University has agreed to undertake several specific actions that will improve our response to harassment and discrimination.”
Fry mentioned that Drexel has already increased police and security patrols, conducted residence life meetings to emphasize respect for property in response to vandalism and the removal of religious symbols and commissioned an external review of Drexel’s institutional responses to Title VI cases. (Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prevents discrimination in organizations and institutions receiving federal funding.)
The president further encouraged “any University community member who experiences, observes or who has a concern about discrimination or harassment” to contact the school’s Office for Institutional Equity and Inclusive Culture at 215-895-1405 or [email protected].
“In fulfilling the terms of this resolution, we will look to engage all of you in our efforts to address any areas where our University’s systems and practices fall short in fostering a sense of safety and belonging,” Fry concluded.
The school is planning a daylong training session on “cultural competency” for administrators, residence hall advisors and faculty, according to Rabbi Isabel de Koninck, the executive director of Drexel’s Hillel house.
“The most important thing we’re doing is trying to address the upstream cultural issues that can negatively contribute to a campus environment where students don’t know how to disagree without devolving into personal attacks, antisemitic attacks or other kinds of identity-based rhetoric,” de Koninck said.
Drexel became an uncomfortable place for Jewish students after Oct. 7, according to Gisele Kahlon, a rising senior.
“Most Jewish students felt like Drexel brushed the topics under the rug,” she said. “They would come out with email statements saying we’re against antisemitism, but they didn’t really do anything about it.”
But during the encampment, Kahlon found renewed faith in Fry and the school’s administration. The protest formed over the weekend of May 19-20. On May 23, the president coordinated a police response with both the university and Philadelphia forces.
He said he broke it up because it was “repugnant” and “antisemitic.”
“Once it happened with the encampment, he was very straightforward. We do not support this. It’s not OK. Antisemitism is happening,” Kahlon said. “He was adamant about making the Jewish students feel safe.”