Winnipeg universities get passing grade on campus antisemitism report

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 09/02/2024 (623 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The University of Manitoba and University of Winnipeg received passing grades but neither was ranked at the top of the class in a new report on campus incidents and responses to antisemitism in Canada.

The Abraham Global Peace Initiative released its latest analysis of how post-secondary institutes are protecting their Jewish community members this week.

Universities receive letter grades in the annual reports compiled by the Toronto-based charity whose mandate is to study international rights and democracy in Canada, Israel and across the world.

Marks are distributed based on institutional policies, staff training, incident responses, education and awareness, and campus culture.

In the 2024 edition, the U of M received “a tentative grade of B+.”

The authors acknowledge two recent events, the suspension of a nursing student (which has since been overturned, although that is not mentioned in the report) and the removal of posters characterizing the late Izzy Asper as a fascist sympathizer.

The report indicates the ejection of Arij Al Khafagi, owing to her personal social media activity condemning Israel, has triggered discussions about how schools address discrimination and navigate freedom of expression.

“Overall, a B+ is assigned, considering the university’s proactive response to the poster incident, commitment to a zero-tolerance policy, and ongoing efforts to navigate the complexities of addressing antisemitism on campus,” per an excerpt of the 54-page report.

The document suggests the outcome of Al Khafagi’s appeal could affect the school’s reputation and relationships with local Jewish organizations.

Ultimately, a disciplinary panel rejected the discriminatory claims underpinning the final-year student’s suspension for the remainder of 2023-24.

The Jan. 25 decision was delivered more than two months after the initial penalty was issued and following a lengthy hearing during which a Jewish academic spoke in support of Al Khafagi.

There is an ongoing debate about how antisemitism should be defined.

AGPI uses the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition: “Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews.”

This broad definition states rhetorical and physical manifestations of it are directed at individuals, property and Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.

In contrast, the Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism states it is “discrimination, prejudice, hostility or violence against Jews as Jews (or Jewish institutions as Jewish).”

AGPI states critics are wrongly applying the IHRA definition in its newest report on campus antisemitism.

“Critics (are) claiming it restricts their criticism of Israel, while failing to acknowledge the evident double standard applied to the only Jewish state and liberal democracy in the Middle East,” per the report’s statement of concerns.

U of W — the only other local institution ranked in the report — received a C.

The authors cited an absence of transparency and delayed reporting surrounding the disbandment of a U of W Collegiate basketball team that was accused of engaging in “antisemitic gestures” in early 2023.

“The (university’s) commitment to addressing antisemitism following the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas is positive,” they wrote.

“But concerns about events discussing the ‘Situation in Palestine’ and the event titled ‘Palestine and Genocide’ highlight challenges in balancing academic freedom with the principles of respect, tolerance, and responsible use of freedom.”

Among the schools that received As are: the University of Saskatchewan, Lakehead University and Nipissing University.