Complaint prompts federal probe at Rutgers

Group claims anit-Arab, anti-Muslim bias

By: Hannan Adely
NorthJersey.com
USA Today Network - New Jersey

..... Rutgers University faces a new federal civil rights investigation one month after advocacy groups filed a complaint alleging "ongoing, pattered" bias against Muslim, Arab and Palestinian students.
..... The Education Department Office of Civil Rights opened the investigation into "national origin discrimination involving religion" on May 22, [2024] a spokesperson said, adding that the department does not comment on pending infestations.
..... An attorney for the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee confirmed the investigation was spurred by a 57-page complaint the committee along with New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations filed with the Education Department citing allegations of doxxing and harassment at the Newark law school and New Brunswick undergraduate campus since October 2023.
..... The complaint alleges that the Rutgers administration did not do enough to protect students' safety or wellbeing.
..... "The allegations in this complaint reflect an ongoing pattern and practice of direct and indirect discrimination by Rutgers, as well as Rutgers' deliberate indifference to a hostile learning environment on its campuses for students who hold, are perceived to hold or are affiliated or associated with Palestinian identity," the complaint states."
..... In a statement, a Rutgers spokesperson said the university "stands against hate in all its pernicious forms."
..... "The university strives to be a safe and supportive environment for all our studnets, faculty and staff," said Kevin Lorincz, director of communications. "We reject absolutely intolerance based on religion, national origin, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, ability or political views."
..... Colleges have grappled with rising tensions and heated protests on campus since the October 7 [2023] Hamas attack in southern Israel that killed 1,200, while another 250 were taken hostage. since then, the death toll in Gaza has exceeded 36,000 people, with thousands more injured and missing amid Israeli airstrikes on buildings, schools, and hospitals.
..... Since October, [2023] the Education Department has opened dozens of investigation focused on allegations of antisemitism and anti-Muslim discrimination at college and universities.
..... The Office of Civil Rights takes cases where it suspects "discrimination involving shared ancestry," under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, that "prohibits discriminations on the basis of race, color, or national origin in programs and activities operated by recipients of federal funds."

Students say bias ignored

..... Rutgers also faces a federal civil rights investigation, opened in December, [2023] into allegations of antisemitism.
..... On May 23, [2024] Republicans in Congress questioned Rutgers President Jonathan Holloway and two other college presidents at a hearing over their decision to make concessions to pro-Palestinian students in agreements to end their protest encampments.
..... It marked the eighth congressional heiring on antisemitism in schools since November. [2023] At hearings, Jewish students have testified about being harassed on campus and hearings antisemitic slurs and threats that made them feel unsafe and marginalized on their own campuses.
..... Arab and Muslim students say bias against them has gone overlooked, even as they face violence from counter-protesters and police who have been called in to shut down their protests. Incidents have included vehicular attacks on students from Stanford and Columbia universities; a chemical spay attack that sickened Columbia students; and a violent attack on a pro-Palestinian protest encampment at UCLA in May. [2024] In November, [2023] three Palestinian American students were shot in Vermont, although the suspect was not charged with a hate crime.
..... Rutgers, too, has grappled with incidents that escalated to criminal offenses. In November, [2023] a student at the New Brunswick Campus was charged with making Online threats against a Jewish Israeli student. In April, [2024] on the Eid al-Fitr Muslim holiday, the university's Center for Islamic Life was broken into and vandalized. A 24-year-old New Jersey man was arrested a week later and charged with federal hate crimes.
..... Nora Asker, past president of the Muslim Public Relations Council, a Rutgers student organization, said Arab, Muslim and Palestinian students have felt their concerns had not been taken seriously. "It feels like no one really cares what is happening in our community, like we are supposed to be sued to this kind of treatment," she said.
..... Rutgers is home to both the nation's second-largest Jewish student populations and second-largest Palestinian student population., Holloway told state lawmakers at a May 9 [2024] hearing.

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