Report Finds Muslim Students Face Increasingly Hostile Climate on US Campuses

Report Finds Muslim Students Face Increasingly Hostile Climate on US Campuses
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A new report warns that the rights of Muslim students to protest and practice their faith are increasingly under pressure at universities across the United States, with many campuses described as unwelcoming or openly hostile.

More details in the following report:

The study, released on Thursday by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) as part of its Unhostile Campus Campaign, assessed conditions at 51 prominent US universities. According to the findings, not a single campus received a positive or “Unhostile” rating.

The report ranked Columbia University and the City University of New York as the least welcoming institutions, each scoring just 2%. Other universities cited for particularly adverse environments included the University of Michigan, the University of Chicago, and Case Western Reserve University.

CAIR reported that nearly three-quarters of the universities scored below 50%, while more than half lacked explicit definitions of Islamophobia or anti-Muslim bias in their discrimination policies. Only six campuses were placed in an “Under Watch” category, led by the University of Alabama with a score of 87%. The overall average score across all institutions was 37.92%.

The report also found that 12 universities have adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, which critics say can limit legitimate criticism of Israel. About half of the institutions faced Title VI civil rights complaints, and more than 75% reportedly called police on Gaza-related demonstrations after October 2023. In addition, CAIR said 90% of campuses implemented major policy changes without consulting students or faculty.

Maryam Hasan, a CAIR research and advocacy specialist, said many university administrators failed to uphold commitments to free speech and academic freedom. CAIR officials said the report aims to pressure institutions to reform and to inform prospective students and staff about campus climates they may encounter.