Vanderbilt University receives 'C' on antisemitism report card

Vanderbilt University received a "C" from the Anti-Defamation League on its Campus Antisemitism Report Card released last week.

Vanderbilt was among 85 schools nationwide selected for assessment in the first-of-its-kind report card, according to ADL, a nonprofit human rights organization. The schools represented the top national and liberal arts colleges in the U.S., along with those with the highest Jewish student population.

Receiving a C indicates the university needs corrections when it comes to the current state of antisemitism on campus, along with how the university responds to it, according to the organization. The analysis combines both objective data and subjective observations, and ADL said "reasonable people" may disagree with its conclusions.

"ADL produced this report card during a time of incredible volatility on college campuses," the organization said in an explanation of the report card. "It takes the temperature at a moment in time and provides a roadmap for improving campus climate. This is Report Card version 1.0 and should be used in concert with other tools when making decisions about college."

Report card: Harvard, Stanford and MIT get an 'F' from ADL on antisemitism

Here's how the letter grades broke down across the 85 schools:

• A: 2

• B: 17

• C: 29

• D:24

• F: 13

Vanderbilt pushes back at antisemitism grade

In a statement to The Tennessean, Vanderbilt criticized the grade it received and said it planned to follow up with the organization about "shortcomings" in its methodology.

“Vanderbilt does not tolerate and strongly condemns antisemitism and all forms of hate," the university said in a statement. "The grade we received is inconsistent with the feedback we have received about the welcoming, supportive, and vibrant campus climate our Jewish community at Vanderbilt experiences."

Here's what the report card said about Vanderbilt.

What went into Vanderbilt's grade

The ADL said it considered recent anti-Zionist student government activity at Vanderbilt, active Jewish life on campus and recent action taken by the university in its grade. Here is what the report card noted.

Jewish student life at Vanderbilt: The report card gave Vanderbilt the highest ratings when it came to active Jewish student life, including an active Hillel, Chabad and Jewish Greek life organizations. It also considered offerings like Jewish studies and Kosher dining, along with the promotion of awareness of Jewish holidays on campus, among other things.

Demonstrations at Vanderbilt: The report card noted two recent demonstrations on campus.

The first came after Hamas militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, starting the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. Vanderbilt Students for Justice in Palestine demonstrated near the campus Hillel with depictions of bodies in bags with blood, according to the report card.

The second came last month, when that same organization built an "Apartheid Wall" on campus while around 30 students staged a sit-in at the building where Chancellor Daniel Diermeier has his office. The sit-in and surrounding protests came after administrators removed a measure from the student ballot that would amend the Vanderbilt Student Government Constitution. The amendment would have prevented student government funds from going to certain businesses that support Israel. Protesters pressed for Diermeier to put the measure back on the ballot.

The demonstrations led to the arrest of three students on charges of assault and bodily injury to another. A fourth student was charged with vandalism after breaking a window. All students who entered the building were placed on interim suspension, according to the university.

A local reporter was also arrested covering the protests but there were no charges. Vanderbilt University announced an outside review into the matter.

What to know: Vanderbilt University students protest, some arrested at sit-in

University policies and response: Vanderbilt's policies and response to antisemitism were also noted in the report card. It highlighted the university's diversity, equity and inclusion office that provides education around Jewish holidays and allies with the Black community.

It also noted two recent actions by Diermeier, including an op-ed he wrote for Forbes. The piece emphasized the need for both university neutrality and the fostering of open dialogue when it comes to external issues.

The chancellor also released a statement earlier this year condemning antisemitism and other forms of hate. His statement also rejected the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, which was tied to the amendment that sparked the sit-in and protests.

However, the report card said, Vanderbilt declined to comment on whether it adopted an official definition of antisemitism at the request of alumni.

See Vanderbilt's report card for yourself

Additional details, data and criteria on Vanderbilt's grade can be found at adl.org/campus-antisemitism-report-card/vanderbilt-university.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: ADL antisemitism report card: Vanderbilt University gets a C