Cooper Union to Revise Policies and Settle Suit by Jewish Students

Cooper Union will make sweeping changes to its anti-discrimination and protest policies to settle a lawsuit brought by 10 Jewish students who accused the Manhattan college of tolerating antisemitism, most notably at a pro-Palestinian protest that briefly trapped students inside the school's library.

The settlement requires Cooper Union to recognize that discrimination or harassment based on a person's Zionist beliefs violates its nondiscrimination policies; bar student protesters from wearing masks intended to conceal identities; and approve in advance all student posters and fliers to ensure they are not discriminatory.

The school must appoint a dedicated Title VI coordinator to oversee compliance with the Civil Rights Act, and provide mandatory training for faculty, staff, administrators, students and trustees on its nondiscrimination policies. Lawyers for the students said the measures were intended to improve life for Jewish students; the college's president, Steven W.

McLaughlin, said he welcomed the settlement, which did not require the institution to admit wrongdoing, "as an important step as we move forward." The lawsuit grew out of an October 2023 videotape showing protesters banging on a closed library door and chanting "Free Palestine" as Jewish students inside looked on; the demonstration moved to a glass wall and dispersed about 10 minutes later.

Key Topics

Politics, Cooper Union, Manhattan, Jewish Students, Zionism, Title Vi