The New School is currently under investigation for violating the federal Civil Rights Act. While the exact nature of the potential violation has not yet been made public, the pending investigation states that it is related to “National Origin Discrimination Involving Religion.”
The investigation, which was opened on Feb. 6, is being conducted by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights.
The investigation is likely related to how the university responded to protests related to the ongoing violence in Gaza. TNS is one of the many universities being probed by the Department of Education. Other New York City universities, such as Columbia and Cooper Union, are facing investigations under the same category.
In a statement The New School sent to The Free Press, they said, “The New School was notified by the U.S. Department of Education that it has opened an investigation into a complaint that the university violated Title VI of the federal Civil Rights Act. The university will respond to the Department of Education and cooperate with its investigation.”
The case for “National Origin Discrimination Involving Religion” under Title VI is based on the university’s response to harassment on campus. The investigation will look at “complaints that students were subjected to ethnic or ancestral slurs; harassed for how they look, dress, or speak in ways linked to ethnicity or ancestry (e.g. skin color, religious attire, language spoken); or stereotyped based on perceived shared ancestral or ethnic characteristics,” according to the Department of Education.
Title VI requires a university to respond to complaints of harassment accordingly. Department of Education investigations are often resolved by requiring institutions to bolster their anti-harassment policies and procedures, effectively train staff, address specific incidents, and make movement towards restoring a nondiscriminatory on-campus environment.
In The New School’s statement to the Free Press, they said, “Antisemitism has no place on our campus. The New School does not tolerate discriminatory acts of any kind directed at any individual based upon their race, religion, national origin or other protected categories. The university is committed to providing a safe, civil, and respectful campus environment for everyone in our community. We continue to work with our students, faculty, and staff to foster a sense of safety and belonging for all.”