University of Tampa Under Department of Education Investigation Following Israel-Hamas Conflict

The Department of Education is investigating allegations of discrimination related to the Israel-Hamas conflict at the University of Tampa and Hillsborough County Schools in Florida. These investigations were made public on Tuesday and added to the department's online list of ongoing investigations. Additionally, a second investigation into Columbia University in New York was announced.

The Department of Education recently initiated investigations into allegations of antisemitism and Islamophobia at six colleges, such as Columbia, Cornell University, and the University of Pennsylvania, as well as one K-12 school. These inquiries were conducted by the Department's Office for Civil Rights, as per Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which mandates that educational institutions offer a discrimination-free environment for all students. Any individual or group has the ability to file a Title VI complaint with the Office for Civil Rights.

The department official reported that the agency is currently handling an unprecedented amount of hate investigations. The Office for Civil Rights is struggling to keep up with the influx of cases due to a lack of investigative staff, making the situation increasingly difficult.

"We are shocked and deeply concerned by the increase in hateful incidents on school campuses," stated the official. The Office for Civil Rights has initiated 27 Title VI investigations this year, compared to 15 last year and only 2 in 2021. The office also addresses violations related to sexual harassment and other rights abuses.

According to Jonathan Fansmith, the Department of Education is actively addressing concerns raised by the public, Congress, and the administration. As the senior vice president of government relations and national engagement at the American Council on Education, he noted that the organization, which represents over 1,700 colleges and universities, has emphasized the department's commitment to addressing antisemitism on college campuses.

The Office for Civil Rights strives to complete investigations within six months. Failure to comply with the office’s recommendations could result in schools losing federal funding. However, investigations usually conclude with the school agreeing to address the incident or implementing policy changes if there is a larger issue. The University of Tampa and Hillsborough County Schools have not yet responded to requests for comment, while Columbia University has stated its willingness to cooperate with any investigation.

Rising tensions across the country

Tensions on college campuses have escalated amid the Israel-Hamas conflict. A federal charge was filed against a Cornell University student for making online threats against Jewish students, while the University of Pennsylvania reported a series of threatening and antisemitic emails to the FBI.

Earlier this month, the Brandeis Center, a Jewish civil rights legal organization, filed complaints which led to the Office for Civil Rights opening investigations into the University of Pennsylvania and Wellesley College in Massachusetts.

Kenneth Marcus, the founder and chairman of the Brandeis Center, expressed to CNN that he believes the Office for Civil Rights has the potential to do more. He had also previously headed the office during the Trump administration.

Marcus stated that the number of investigations is insignificant compared to the widespread incidents occurring across the country. He emphasized that this only represents a small fraction of the problems present.

Earlier this month, the Department of Education provided guidance to colleges and K-12 schools, reiterating their legal responsibility to address discrimination, including against individuals who are Jewish, Israeli, Muslim, Arab, or Palestinian. Additionally, the department has updated its discrimination complaint form to explicitly include protections for individuals who are perceived to be Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, or Sikh, or who are targeted based on shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics, under Title VI.

This story has been updated with additional information.