(NewsNation) — The Department of Education has begun investigations of Columbia and Emory universities over allegations that Palestinian and other Muslim students have faced discrimination since the October 7 attacks.
The federal agency notified two Islamic organizations Tuesday about the investigation of Emory, located in Atlanta. And Thursday, it opened a probe of Columbia, the Ivy League school in New York City’s that’s been the centerpiece of student protests against Israel’s war on Hamas.
Both schools face allegations of violations of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Title VI prohibits discrimination based on “race, color, or national origin in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance.” If found in violation of Title VI, the schools could lose some federal funding.
In a statement, Emory said it “does not tolerate behavior or actions that threaten, harm or target individuals because of their identities or backgrounds.” Columbia has declined to comment.
The investigation comes two days after Columbia invited New York City police to forcibly remove protesters who had occupied a campus building for nearly a day.
Emory attracted attention last week when, just three hours after a protest began, it invited police to remove the demonstrators. It was the quickest use of force against students so far, and perhaps the first in which police used Tasers on protesters.
“This investigation could not have come at a better time,” Radhika Sainath, senior staff attorney at Palestine Legal, wrote in a statement to Columbia’s student newspaper, the Columbia Spectator.
“Students have the right to speak out against the genocide of Palestinians, without fear of unequal treatment, racist attacks or being denied access to an education by their university,” the statement said.
The complaints are two of at least six Title VI claims made in recent weeks alleging Islamophobic and anti-Muslim treatment on U.S. campuses. Others have been made by students from Rutgers, the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.