The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has announced a resolution agreement with Temple University regarding compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This action follows an investigation into allegations of harassment based on shared ancestry at the university.
Over the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 academic years, Temple University received more than 50 reports related to discrimination and harassment based on shared ancestry. These incidents included antisemitic, anti-Muslim, and anti-Palestinian behavior, occurring in various forms such as protests, vandalism, graffiti, and social media posts. Reports included instances where a Jewish professor faced harassment due to his ancestry, an Israeli student's art was vandalized because she is Israeli, and a professor referred to Muslim students as "terrorists."
The OCR's investigation noted that Temple University had taken steps to address these issues by maintaining policies to combat harassment and discrimination while supporting an inclusive campus environment. The university provided supportive measures to those reporting incidents and reiterated its commitment to free speech and a nondiscriminatory campus.
In response to rising antisemitism both nationally and on campuses, Temple University formed a Blue Ribbon Commission on Antisemitism in spring 2022. Additionally, in December 2022, the university appointed a Special Advisor on Antisemitism.
Despite these initiatives, OCR found concerns about Title VI compliance due to insufficient assessment of whether reported incidents collectively created a hostile environment for students and staff. The reports were handled by separate departments without adequate information sharing, potentially leading to unaddressed hostile conditions.
To address these concerns, Temple University has agreed to several actions under the resolution agreement:
- Review responses to complaints from the past two academic years.
- Share information with OCR about future complaints during upcoming school years.
- Conduct climate assessments for students and staff concerning shared ancestry.
- Provide relevant training for employees involved in handling discrimination complaints.
- Implement annual training for all faculty, staff, and students on race-based discrimination.
Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Catherine E. Lhamon stated: “Today’s resolution with Temple University is designed to improve university practices to ensure full compliance with federal civil rights protections against discrimination.” She added that OCR looks forward to working with Temple University throughout this process.
The letter of resolution along with the agreement can be accessed via OCR's website.
