Penn State issued a statement on Sunday condemning what it described as “online vitriol” toward Jewish, Arab, and Muslim students. The university said it experienced an uptick in bias reports filed as a result of “hateful and malicious comments online” from within and outside the Penn State community.
“We unequivocally reject all forms of hate, discrimination, harassment, and intimidation, as well as the vitriol online that perpetuates the cycle,” the university said. “These acts breach our values as an academic institution.”
Several Penn State students have been doxxed online after commenting on recent protests and events on campus relating to the Israel-Hamas war, including in Onward State social media posts. Groups unaffiliated with Penn State have posted information about those commenting, including their names, majors and LinkedIn profiles.
University staff have contacted each student reporting intimidation and harassment to offer assistance and support resources, according to the statement.
“We urge every member of our community to practice empathy and respect, acknowledging the complexities of each other’s lived experiences, especially when tensions are high,” the statement read. “By fostering spaces of care and support and upholding the dignity of every individual, we can create a more resilient foundation for understanding and unity. This approach is essential for building an inclusive community, where everyone feels valued and respected.”
Penn State Hillel, the foundation for Jewish campus life at Penn State, wrote that it was “actively supporting and engaged with Jewish students, as well as with the University’s senior administration and its student affairs office, local law enforcement, Hillel International, and the Philadelphia office of ADL, among others.”
Jewish students were among those doxxed online, after what Hillel referred to as “several aggressive anti-Israel demonstrations by students and community members.”
“Penn State Hillel is deeply concerned by these incidents, including malicious social media activity, aimed at doxing Jewish students, which can compromise their physical safety, among other things,” the organization wrote. “We condemn these attempts to publicly intimidate students and members of our Jewish community. Nor do we support hate or hurtful language directed at any people. There must be no place at Penn State for antisemitism, doxing or hate of any kind.”
Those looking for resources can find more here or follow the links below.
Penn State Support Resources
- Penn State Bias Response Network
- Counseling and Psychological Services
- Guide to Managing Online Harassment
- Penn State Police
- Student Legal Services
- Student Accountability and Conflict Response
- Student Care and Advocacy
- Ethics and Compliance
- Student Affairs Community and Belonging
- Faculty and staff – EAP
