Braun signs order directing Indiana colleges, universities to review antisemitism policies

INDIANAPOLIS — A new order from Indiana Gov. Mike Braun is directing the Indiana Commission for Higher Education to review policies related to antisemitism.

According to a news release from Braun’s office, the order also asks the state’s higher education institutions to review their response to any acts of antisemitism and reiterates Indiana’s “support for its Jewish community and (condemns) antisemitic acts of discrimination and harassment.”

This comes after the U.S. Department of Education targeted several higher education institutions earlier this week for alleged “antisemitic discrimination,” one of which was Indiana University. The department stated that the institutions could face “potential enforcement actions.”

According to previous reports, groups hosted protests at higher education institutions across the country last year after Hamas’ attack on Israel in October 2023. This included a five-month pro-Palestinian protest at Dunn Meadow on Indiana University’s Bloomington campus.

The order is requesting each higher education to provide their respective responses to any reported acts of antisemitism that have occurred on their respective campuses since the October 2023 attack.

“A wave of antisemitism across the country began over a year ago with the October 7, 2023 terrorist attack against Israel, with universities often at the epicenter of these incidents,” Braun said in a statement surrounding the order. “With this executive order, we are making it clear that Indiana will not tolerate antisemitic discrimination at our state institutions or anywhere else — Jewish Hoosiers should know the state of Indiana condemns antisemitism and stands with them.”

Braun has signed a series of executive orders on several topics since he first came to office in January, including ones that centered on:

• Unemployment fraud and work search requirements
• Environmental policy
• Immigration
• Healthcare
• Gender ideology