The University of Michigan and the City University of New York have come under fire for mishandling complaints of discrimination on campus during widespread protests over the war in Gaza, the Education Department announced on Monday.
The department’s Office for Civil Rights has opened dozens of investigations into antisemitism and anti-Arab discrimination as students held rallies and set up encampments in support of Palestinians and called for their schools to divest from Israel.
The Michigan and New York cases were only the first to reach a conclusion. More are expected to finish in the coming weeks and months as schools continue to reckon with the limits of free speech in academic settings.
Under the terms of the agreements announced on Monday, the schools must step up their reporting of complaints to the Office for Civil Rights and revisit their training of employees, including campus police officers, about their obligations under federal law.
Education Secretary Miguel Cardona expressed concern over the recent incidents, stating, “There’s no question that this is a challenging moment for school communities across the country.” He also noted that the commitments made by the University of Michigan and CUNY mark a positive step forward.
The Education Department highlighted instances where the protests created a “hostile environment” for certain students that the schools failed to address. At Michigan, a student reported being shouted down and accused of supporting heinous acts during a rally in support of Palestinians.
The agreement with CUNY addressed nine complaints dating back to 2019 across its university system, including instances of disruption of online classes and unequal treatment of Palestinian students.
The department’s investigations fall under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on a student’s perceived shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics.
Criticism of the way schools have balanced protecting speech with the safety and well-being of students has led to high-profile clashes between school leaders and Congress, as well as the resignation of several university presidents.
In both cases that concluded on Monday, the department required the schools to conduct a “climate assessment” survey by December 2025 to evaluate the extent of discrimination and harassment based on race, color, and national origin, in order to measure progress.
