U.S. Inquiry into Barnard College Employees' Backgrounds

Recently, numerous current and past employees of Barnard College found unexpected text messages on their personal phones, prompting confusion and concerns about potential fraud.

These messages, claimed to be from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, were part of an examination into Barnard's employment policies. Recipients were directed to a survey where questions about their Jewish or Israeli identity, as well as experiences of harassment, were posed.

In response to queries from faculty, Barnard’s administration confirmed by Wednesday that the texts were legitimate and linked to an ongoing federal inquiry launched the previous summer to investigate alleged discrimination against Jewish staff members.

Serena Longley, the college's lead attorney, explained in an email to faculty that Barnard had shared employees' contact information with the commission to offer them a chance to be involved in the survey. She emphasized that participation was optional.

Faculty members have reported that this outreach by text included nearly the whole Barnard staff, signaling what appears to be a proactive strategy by the Trump administration to document and gather instances of supposed antisemitism at Barnard. The college, linked to Columbia University, has faced backlash due to campus activities supporting Palestinian causes.

Under the Trump administration, leading universities have been more frequently scrutinized over allegations of institutional antisemitism. Critics view such actions as an overarching attempt by the administration to challenge the academic and operational independence of these institutions. Notably, Columbia University has faced withholding of substantial research funds until it concurs with federal demands to more actively counter antisemitism. Concurrently, immigration officials have detained and aimed to deport activists involved in pro-Palestinian events.