Federal officials are investigating allegations of racial discrimination at several universities, including the University of Illinois-Chicago.
According to officials, the Biden administration is looking into a number of schools over allegations of anti-Muslim, anti-Arab and antisemitic incidents in recent months.
A UIC medical student spoke to NBC Chicago about her experiences, saying she was discriminated against during the COVID pandemic, and says that friends of hers have also experienced similar treatment.
“I have some Muslim friends, and they have felt targeted by some of the Zionist students on campus,” she said. “They have said things that are anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian.”
Antisemitism and anti-Arab incidents are also being investigated at the school, one of more than a dozen currently facing federal scrutiny.
“What’s happening now, and I think where it’s crossing the line as free speech, is where it becomes intimidation, it becomes students becoming demonized or effectively made to feel that they aren’t welcome,” Rep. Brad Schneider said.
Schneider recently held a roundtable discussion with college students to spotlight problematic behavior that many young adults are facing.
“What I heard on Monday from our students is there are circumstances and situations where Jewish students, as well as Muslim students, are made to feel unwelcomed or unsafe and the administrations have a responsibility to handle those issues,” he said.
In a statement, the university says that it takes all allegations seriously.
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter.
“(We) strive to be a place where everyone feels welcome, and where all people – no matter what color, race, ancestry, age, sex, interests, sexual orientation, religion, disability, national origin or marital status – can share perspectives and viewpoints to learn from one another,” the school said. “We take all allegations of civil rights violations seriously, and will fully cooperate with any inquiries that may arise from a complaint.”
