‘Process without teeth,’ experts say of Pitt refusal to adopt Jew-hatred definition after working group report

The University of Pittsburgh is facing criticism for its refusal to adopt a formal definition of antisemitism, following a working group's report on combating Jew-hatred on campus. The working group, formed in March 2023 after reports of antisemitic activity post-October 7, recommended creating a misconduct reporting portal, clarifying policies to include electronic communications, and establishing an independent unit for Title VI compliance. It also advised mandatory antisemitism training and forming an external advisory council, stating that "antisemitism may be expressed as anti-Israel or anti-Zionist bias."

"How can anyone expect the university administration to take seriously incidents of antisemitism when administrators won’t even define what constitutes antisemitism?"

Brandy Shufutinsky of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies told JNS. The university acknowledged the recommendations as "thoughtful and actionable" but stated it "is not adopting a single definition" of antisemitism, citing the diversity of Jewish experience. Gerard Filitti of the Lawfare Project called this a "process without teeth," arguing that without a definition encompassing anti-Zionist harassment and an independent accountability body, the university's efforts are insufficient.