Chicago: Northwestern University has enforced mandatory annual training on discrimination, harassment, and sexual misconduct for its more than 23,000 students. The program includes modules on antisemitism, Islamophobia, anti-Arab, and anti-Palestinian prejudice. Students who fail to complete the training face registration holds and other disciplinary action.
The university stated that compliance is not optional. While students are not required to agree with the content, they must confirm adherence to the Student Code of Conduct and campus policies. Administrators said multiple reminders were sent over recent months to ensure students met the requirement.
However, more than 200 students, graduate workers, alumni, faculty, and staff signed an open letter criticizing the training content. They argued that the materials are biased, unacademic, and discriminatory. In particular, they objected to the program’s coverage of Israel and Palestine. The videos referenced the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks, which killed more than 1,200 people, but did not mention the ongoing conflict in Gaza, where over 65,000 people have died.
Students also highlighted the use of maps showing Israel’s annexation of the Golan Heights, a territory not widely recognized internationally. They argued that the training erased Palestinian suffering and reinforced harmful narratives against Muslim and Arab communities. The “Antisemitism Here/Now” video was singled out for making sweeping claims without evidence or sources.
The open letter called on the university to halt the program in its current form and to avoid penalizing students who refuse to participate. While the administration has defended the training, the controversy has sparked broader debate on academic freedom, free expression, and how universities approach human rights education.
