Adelphi University placed its Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) chapter on one-year disciplinary probation after finding that the group’s social media posts created a hostile environment for Jewish students. The decision follows an investigation initiated by Israeli-American Professor Tuval Foguel, represented by the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law.
Adelphi’s investigation determined that the SJP chapter’s online posts praised the October 7 Hamas terrorist attack. Other posts called for “long live the intifada” and claimed that “Israel is a terror state” whose supporters are “Zionist terrorists.”
Administrators concluded these statements were “severe or pervasive” enough to intimidate or discourage Jewish students from participating fully in campus life.
The one-year probation began on August 7, 2025, and will remain in effect until August 7, 2026. During this time, the university may restrict the chapter’s events, closely monitor communications, and require members to participate in educational programming.
SJP leaders must meet with officials by mid-September to review appropriate social media use and the risks of harassment. Failure to comply with the probation terms could result in the loss of official campus recognition.
The probation order leaves little room for appeal. Only procedural errors, the emergence of new evidence, or proof of bias could lead to reconsideration.
The Brandeis Center praised Adelphi’s action as a significant step in protecting Jewish students from targeted hostility. Professor Foguel called the decision “an important step in the right direction” and said it could serve as a model for other universities confronting similar conduct.
This action reflects a broader national trend of universities sanctioning SJP chapters for speech and conduct that cross into harassment, with other schools such as George Washington University taking similar measures.
