Senators Dave McCormick (R-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) have sent letters to the presidents of five major Pennsylvania universities, expressing concern over rising antisemitism on college campuses. The senators addressed their message to the leaders of Pennsylvania State University, Temple University, University of Pittsburgh, University of Pennsylvania, and Lehigh University. These institutions have the largest Jewish student populations in the state.
The senators called on university presidents to collaborate with Jewish organizations on campus and provide necessary resources for student safety. In their letter, they stated: “As the 2025-2026 school year begins, we write to urge you, as a leader of a Pennsylvania university with a large Jewish student population, to commit to ensuring Jewish institutions on your campus are equipped to protect the students they serve, including by allocating the resources to do so,” Senators McCormick and Fetterman wrote in part. “Pennsylvania is home to some of the nation’s leading public and private universities. Your institution is spearheading cutting-edge research while attracting ambitious, hardworking students to the Commonwealth. However, Pennsylvania campuses have been no exception to the alarming rise of antisemitic harassment and violence. Chabad houses have been vandalized, entrances to Hillel buildings have been targeted, and Jewish students have been assaulted. To protect the students and faculty they host, many Jewish institutions have been forced to cover the costs of additional security.”
They continued: “No student should feel like they must risk their safety to exercise their First Amendment rights to peacefully assemble and freely practice their religion. No campus institution should have to curtail its services to cover security expenses.”
The letter notes that since Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack on Israel—the deadliest massacre of Jews since World War II—antisemitic incidents at universities across the country have increased significantly. According to Hillel International, during the 2024-2025 academic year there was a record number of such incidents reported nationwide.
The senators acknowledged actions taken by Pennsylvania universities in response: “We commend the recent steps taken at Pennsylvania universities to enforce codes of conduct, disband illegal encampments, and suspend student groups that have repeatedly targeted and harassed Jewish students. Every student deserves a safe and enriching college experience. Before the school year begins this fall, we encourage you all to work with your campus’s Jewish institutions and ensure all students, regardless of their race, ethnicity, or shared ancestry are safe and able to fully participate in campus life.”
The full text of their correspondence is available online.
