ACF Welcomes Haverford Settlement and Calls for Full Implementation of Antisemitism Protections

Alums for Campus Fairness (ACF) welcomes Haverford College’s settlement with Jewish members of the college community who filed a lawsuit in May 2024 alleging antisemitic discrimination following October 7, 2023.

Under the settlement, Haverford has agreed to establish an Antisemitism Committee to advise the president and provide annual findings and recommendations to the Board of Managers. The college will also place Title VI complaints involving antisemitism under the jurisdiction of its new Civil Rights Director and use guidance from the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) when evaluating whether anti-Israel conduct constitutes antisemitism.

The agreement also includes annual antisemitism-awareness training for students, faculty, and staff, security for events organized by Jewish, Israeli, or Zionist students comparable to other campus events, and protections for students whose faculty members might otherwise refuse to write recommendations based on their Jewish, Israeli, or Zionist identity.

Haverford President Wendy Raymond further stated that no professor may discriminate against a student or other member of the college community “on the basis of that person’s commitment to Judaism, Israel or Zionism.” She also acknowledged that members of the Haverford community committed to Israel as the Jewish homeland “have been deeply hurt by events that have transpired on our campus since October 7, 2023,” adding that “that constitutes a failure on our part.”

ACF views the settlement as an important opportunity for Haverford to strengthen protections for Jewish and pro-Israel students and ensure that antisemitism is addressed consistently. However, a settlement is only as strong as its enforcement. ACF will continue to monitor Haverford’s implementation of the settlement and hold the college accountable to its commitments.

About ACF: Alums for Campus Fairness (ACF) leverages the unique power of alumni to combat antisemitism on college campuses. ACF helps organize and cultivate alumni chapters for colleges and universities across the country, equipping members with tools, tactics, and training to proactively engage with administrators. Learn more at www.campusfairness.org.