The Council on American-Islamic Relations, the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, designated Harvard University as a hostile campus due to its targeting of Palestinian, Muslim, Arab, Jewish, and other students, faculty, and staff who oppose the occupation, apartheid, and genocide in Gaza. Despite its stated commitment to free speech, Harvard reportedly adopted the controversial International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, which has been called by its original drafter a “working definition” and said that if governing bodies “enshrine this definition into law, outside groups will try and suppress – rather than answer – political speech they don’t like.” Anti-genocide students and faculty at Harvard experienced harassment, doxxing, and disciplinary actions, with some facing eviction, food insecurity, and threats to academic and professional futures. Harvard is facing a U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR) investigation that began in February 2024 as a group of students alleged the university failed to protect them from anti-Palestinian, anti-Muslim, and anti-Arab harassment and intimidation. Organizations like the ACLU and faculty members voiced concerns about Harvard’s suppression of free speech. CAIR condemned Harvard’s actions, highlighting the broader context of rising Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian sentiment in the U.S.
Harvard University’s University-wide Statement on Rights and Responsibilities (USRR) purports its commitment to freedom of thought, open inquiry, and free speech while prioritizing the safety and well-being of its community members. It emphasizes the importance of fairness and effectiveness in the processes that uphold these principles, ensuring an environment conducive to academic excellence in teaching, learning, and research. However, between 2023 and 2025, protests at Harvard against the genocide in Gaza involving Palestinians, Muslims, Arabs, Jews, and others resulted in arrests, policy changes, and disciplinary actions against students. In a recent settlement involving students and Title VI violations, Harvard reportedly agreed to adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism, promoting “a hollow, and thus dangerous,” standard for its administration and affiliates. Harvard has reportedly announced its official partnership with a university in Israel, a country accused of occupation, apartheid, and genocide, which directly contradicts both the institution’s stated values and the demands of pro-Palestine campus organizations urging Harvard to sever ties with Israeli institutions.
According to the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression’s (FIRE) 2025 Free Speech College Rankings, Harvard University was ranked 251st, or last, compared to other top American colleges. The Harvard administration received an overall score of zero by FIRE and has glaringly overlooked the troubling consequences of its actions targeting anti-genocide, anti-occupation, and anti-apartheid students and faculty, creating a hostile campus environment.
When the Harvard administration committed to adopting the IHRA definition of antisemitism, they conflated antisemitism with criticism of current Israeli policies against Palestinians, showed their weakness to external political pressures, and renounced their commitment to free expression and academic rigor. Two scholars from the Nexus Project, which developed a definition of antisemitism that rejects classifying harsh criticism of Israel as inherently discriminatory, reportedly criticized Harvard’s adoption of the IHRA definition for conflating political debate with antisemitism and undermining meaningful efforts to combat discrimination. David N. Myers, a UCLA professor of Jewish history, allegedly called the IHRA definition a “form of virtue signaling” that lacks practical utility, describing it as a “very coarse filter” that falsely equates criticism of Israel with antisemitism and distracts from addressing genuine antisemitic behavior. Joshua Shanes, a Jewish studies professor at the College of Charleston, reportedly argued that treating Zionism as a protected category rather than a subject of political debate is deeply troubling, warning that the IHRA definition risks stifling legitimate discourse.
While CAIR firmly opposes antisemitism, Harvard’s adoption of the IHRA definition can be used to censor critiques of the Israeli government and its treatment of Palestinians under the pretext of combating antisemitism. It also puts student activists at risk of being targeted by erroneous investigations under the guise of discrimination. Human rights organizations such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and B’Tselem have condemned Israeli actions as violations of international human rights law and as acts of apartheid. Criticizing the actions of any government, including Israel, is an essential part of free speech and democratic discourse. Just as people criticize the policies of their own or other nations without targeting their citizens or their identity, holding governments accountable for their actions is not only acceptable but necessary in the pursuit of justice, human rights, and equality. Harvard’s adoption of the IHRA definition of antisemitism aims to suppress free speech on college campuses and silence students who express valid and legitimate concerns by mislabeling their dissent as antisemitic.
The Muslim Legal Fund of America submitted a complaint on behalf of over a dozen anonymous pro-Palestine students which led to an OCR investigation against Harvard. The targeted students reported having objects thrown at them and poured on them for wearing the keffiyeh. They reported being spat at, stalked, doxed, and chased while the administration neglected to protect them, denied their requests for help, and even responded with threats regarding their future academic opportunities. In October 2023, a Harvard graduate student was followed and harassed by Eve Gerber, identified as the wife of Harvard professor Jason Furman, who made derogatory remarks about the student’s keffiyeh. In December 2023, another student reported a similar harassment incident by Gerber, relating to his Palestinian keffiyeh and visible Arab identity. One doxed graduate student reported that a company rescinded their employment offer, and another doxed international undergraduate reported he was forced to rethink the feasibility of pursuing a career in the United States. The doxxing attacks at Harvard were reportedly described as an effort to silence students’ voices, as one student exclaimed, “The Palestine exception is real — the Palestine exception to free speech.”
Harvard University administrators’ anti-Palestinian activities are only part of an apparently embedded institutional culture where Islamophobia and anti-Muslim racism are rampant. In April 2024, the university reportedly enforced involuntary leaves on anti-genocide protestors, affecting the students’ ability to complete finals, stay in campus housing, and access facilities. The group Harvard Out of Occupied Palestine (HOOP) allegedly opposed the decision, reporting that “students are now facing eviction, food insecurity, degree withholding, and deportation.” The Harvard College Administrative Board reportedly suspended five students and placed more than 20 student protestors on probation over their involvement in a pro-Palestine encampment in Harvard Yard. One student who was put on probation reported, “I think it’s a good time to think about what it means to go to this University and what it means to have freedom of speech and what our moral obligations are when 40,000 innocent people die.” HOOP reportedly organized a petition that represented approximately 15% of the undergraduate body, reflecting significant disapproval of the disciplinary actions and urging Harvard College to overturn its decision to discipline the student protestors. On May 6, 2024, over 300 faculty members at Harvard reportedly signed a letter urging President Alan M. Garber and his administration to engage in negotiations with pro-Palestine student protesters. However, there has been no public record indicating that the administration has agreed to any of their demands.
In the spring of 2024, Harvard College reportedly suspended the Harvard Undergraduate Palestine Solidarity Committee (PSC), requiring its members to cease all organizational activities or risk permanent expulsion. The PSC reportedly stated that the organization’s suspension was after “months of administrative repression, harassment and stalking by our own peers, and intimidation from right-wing politicians and donors.” The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Massachusetts reportedly challenged Harvard’s decision, expressing concerns over potential suppression of free speech and unfairness towards the PSC. After the group completed the necessary requirements for reinstatement, the Dean of Students Office reportedly reinstated the PSC’s full privileges as an officially recognized student organization. “We will continue to call out our university and in particular, Harvard College for their draconian measures to restrict protest, free speech, and any support for Palestinian lives amidst a genocide,” the group declared. Recently, Harvard Medical School reportedly canceled a panel featuring Gaza patients receiving wartime healthcare, citing concerns over perceived one-sidedness. This suppresses important narratives and reflects a broader pattern at Harvard of restricting discussions on Palestinian issues, perpetuating a “Palestine exception” to free speech.
Harvard University’s designation as a “Hostile Campus” underscores its alarming failure to uphold its stated commitments to free speech, inclusivity, and the safety of its students. By adopting policies like the IHRA definition of antisemitism, which conflates legitimate political expression with discrimination, and by failing to protect students from anti-Palestinian harassment and Islamophobia, Harvard has fostered a climate of fear and suppression rather than open inquiry. The university’s actions, including disciplinary measures targeting anti-genocide protesters and partnerships with institutions accused of human rights violations, directly contradict its professed values. This designation serves as a critical reminder of the urgent need for accountability, justice, and the protection of students’ rights—particularly for marginalized communities—on all campuses. Institutions of higher learning must reflect the principles of equity and fairness they claim to champion, and CAIR will continue to hold them accountable for ensuring a safe and inclusive environment for all.
UPDATE: Harvard reportedly “quietly” resolved the federal complaint filed on behalf of students alleging the university failed to address anti-Arab, anti-Muslim, and anti-Palestinian harassment. The OCR found issues with Harvard’s Non-Discrimination and Anti-Bullying (NDAB) policy, including dismissing complaints without fully investigating hostile environments, barriers to filing formal complaints, and mishandling anonymous reports. As part of a resolution on January 17, 2025, Harvard agreed to revise its anti-discrimination policies, ensure formal processing of anonymous complaints, train staff on Title VI policy, and provide annual training for complaint evaluators. Despite the agreement, Harvard admitted no wrongdoing and apparently did not publicly announce this settlement.