Swarthmore College – along with several other schools in the Philadelphia area, including Drexel, Temple, Princeton, and Rutgers – is one of 60 institutions under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) for antisemitic discrimination and harassment. The DOE’s Office for Civil Rights sent letters to the colleges last Monday, March 10, warning them of potential enforcement actions, including federal funding cuts, if they do not enforce Title VI in accordance with President Trump’s Executive Order “Additional Measures to Combat Antisemitism.”
Title VI prohibits any institution from receiving federal funds if they are found to discriminate based on race, color, and national origin. Following Trump’s order, the DOE launched investigations into universities where widespread antisemitic harassment has been reported. According to the DOE’s press release issued last Monday, this protection includes ensuring “uninterrupted access to campus facilities and educational opportunities.”
According to Vice President for Marketing and Communications Andy Hirsch, Swarthmore’s letter was sent solely due to a specific Title VI complaint filed against Swarthmore in March 2024. He noted that the complaint was submitted by an individual who has no known affiliation with the college, and who also filed multiple similar complaints against many other institutions.
The announcement comes amid growing pressure from the Trump administration on university administrators to restrict pro-Palestine protests in the name of “combating antisemitism on college campuses.” Trump recently announced the creation of a multi-agency task force to address this issue, pledging to cut federal funding to colleges accused of tolerating antisemitism. Last Friday, the administration announced the cancellation of $400 million in federal grants and contracts to Columbia University, citing the university’s failure to deter antisemitism on campus.
Swarthmore’s financial structure as a private undergraduate institution that relies heavily on returns from its large endowment makes it less susceptible to cuts in federal funding than research universities or less-funded colleges. In 2024, Swarthmore’s revenue from government grants was $2.8 million, representing slightly more than 1% of its $234 million in revenue for that year.
Hirsch reinforced the college’s commitment to complying with the law and the anti-discrimination protection it provides: “Swarthmore values and supports individuals’ rights to express their views and engage in peaceful protest and dissent. We have also repeatedly stated that those rights do not extend so far as to infringe on the ability of other students, faculty, and staff members to fully engage in campus life.”
