Federal investigation looking into U of M after claims of antisemitism

Federal officials are investigating the University of Minnesota for possible discrimination.

As of Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Education listed the U of M as one of 99 colleges and school districts currently under investigation for discrimination involving shared ancestry, which can include antisemitism.

Just last month, University of Minnesota professor Richard Painter and former regent Michael Hsu sent a letter to the department that raised claims of antisemitism at the school and called for a federal investigation. Specifically, their letter called out the College of Liberal Arts, saying departments in the college have posted “antisemitic faculty statement condemning Israel, and justifying the terroristic attacks by Hamas” on official department websites.

A spokesperson for the U of M said the university doesn’t tolerate harassment or bias but added, “The letter’s broad characterizations of the University are inaccurate and are fundamentally contrary to our mission and values.”

The investigation doesn’t mean the department has found any violations, and it’s not expected to be finished for months.