The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has announced that Muhlenberg College has entered into a resolution agreement to ensure compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 when addressing allegations of harassment based on shared ancestry.

OCR acknowledged that Muhlenberg College had taken several steps to meet its obligations under Title VI. However, OCR identified concerns regarding the college's handling of repeated reports within a single semester about a professor's classroom statements and social media posts, which potentially created a hostile environment for Jewish students. Although the college provided documentation of eight complaints related to shared ancestry involving the professor, it only considered whether the professor's conduct contributed to a hostile environment in two instances. In one case, the college did not evaluate the totality of circumstances as required by Title VI standards after recognizing a hostile environment from an earlier report.

Furthermore, there was no evidence that the college took reasonable steps to address any hostile environment related to shared ancestry affecting educational programs or activities, even if such conduct occurred on private social media and involved political speech. Students reported significant anxiety and fear due to the professor's comments in class and on social media, impacting their access to education. In at least one instance, a college administrator noted that the professor's conduct affected students' ability to engage in college activities, leading to discussions with the professor about this impact. However, communication with affected students was limited.

One report confirmed that the professor entered the Hillel space on campus, photographed a student fundraising display for "the various war efforts in Israel," and posted denigrating comments on Instagram about the students. While the college secured a commitment from the professor not to enter Hillel space again, it did not communicate this commitment or other actions taken to ensure equal access to education for affected students.

To address these concerns, Muhlenberg College agreed to:

- Review all complaints against the professor and determine if they created a hostile environment for Jewish students through social media postings or other conduct in class.

- Review responses to previous reports of discrimination or harassment based on shared ancestry during the 2023-2024 academic year.

- Provide training for employees responsible for investigating complaints and responding to reports of discrimination based on shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics.

- Develop and administer a climate assessment for students and staff regarding shared ancestry discrimination.

These measures will complement existing actions taken by Muhlenberg College under its Title VI obligations concerning shared ancestry. The college’s nondiscrimination policy addresses incidents involving alleged harassment off-campus and on social media. OCR also recognized steps taken by Muhlenberg College addressing alleged shared ancestry harassment incidents potentially creating a hostile environment on campus.

"Muhlenberg College has committed to taking additional actions to build on its already strong policies," said Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Catherine E. Lhamon. "All students deserve to learn in an environment free from discrimination and harassment."

The letter of resolution is available along with the resolution agreement on OCR’s website.