University of Minnesota under investigation by Department of Education following antisemitism complaint

The U.S. Department of Education has opened an investigation into the University of Minnesota following a complaint that expressed concern about antisemitism on campus.

Former regent Michael Hsu and law professor Richard Painter filed a complaint with the Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights in December when they alleged school administrators failed to adequately condemn antisemitism following the October 7 terrorist attacks, according to the Star Tribune.

Hsu expressed considerable concern about statements posted to an official University of Minnesota website by faculty working in the College of Liberal Arts. Some of the comments expressed support for Palestinians and were critical of Israel.

"It is our hope that either before the end of, or after the investigation, the University will agree to stop these statements from being published on the official University websites," Hsu said after submitting the complaint.

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The U.S. Department of Education has opened an investigation into the University of Minnesota. The institution is one of 99 schools currently under investigation. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

The Jewish Community Relations Council printed out some of the statements made by faculty during a December 12 screening of Hamas' attacks on Israeli citizens. Specific phrases were highlighted and deemed antisemitic by the group.

Minnesota is one of 99 U.S. schools under investigation for "discrimination involving shared ancestry," which is prohibited under Title IV of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, according to the Star Tribune.

"An institution named on this list means that [the department's Office for Civil Rights] has initiated an investigation of a case concerning that institution. Inclusion on the list does not mean the OCR has made a decision about the case," the Department of Education website states.

A University of Minnesota spokesperson told Fox News Digital the school will be "fully responsive to the Office for Civil Rights throughout its inquiry."

"The University stands firmly in support of speech and actions that provide an atmosphere of mutual respect, free from any form of prejudice and intolerance, as our Board of Regents policies state. We will continue to work every day to uphold these values while balancing our legal responsibilities to honor free speech," the spokesperson added. 

The Department of Education said in the fall that it would be taking "aggressive action" to combat what it described as an "alarming nationwide rise" in reports of antisemitism and Islamophobia amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Department of Education Secretary Miguel Cardona also spoke out on the topic of antisemitism and Islamophobia in November and vowed to pull federal funding if schools fail to push back on such discrimination.

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The U.S Department of Education Office of Civil Rights recenty opened an investigation into Brown University over the alleged discrimination of Jewish students.  (Rick Friedman/Corbis/Robert Knopes/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

"I would want to provide support for these universities, provide guidance. And if there are egregious acts, I want to make sure that we're investigating," Cardona said. "Ultimately, if we have to withhold dollars from a campus refusing to comply, we would."

Furthermore, the OCR sent a letter to universities reminding them that since they receive federal funds, they have legal obligations under Title VI to provide all students "who are or are perceived" to be Jewish, Israeli, Muslim, Arab, or Palestinian, with a discrimination-free environment.

The OCR opened an investigation into Harvard University several weeks later to determine whether the Ivy League school "failed to respond to alleged harassment of students based on their national origin."

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The complaint came in response to a first-year Israeli student at Harvard Business School reportedly being shoved and accosted by pro-Palestinian protesters amid a "die-in" demonstration held in October at the Massachusetts campus in reaction to Israel's retaliatory strikes in the Gaza Strip. The FBI and Harvard police received a complaint that said the Israeli student had his phone ripped from his hands and he was "assaulted both physically and verbally," according to the Washington Free Beacon.

Other institutions under investigation include Oberlin College, the University of Pennsylvania, Columbia University, Cornell University, Lafayette College, Brown University and Temple University. 

The OCR did not return Fox News Digital's request for comment.