A federal judge has ordered the University of Pennsylvania to provide federal investigators with contact information for Jewish employees, a move tied to a broader probe into alleged antisemitic discrimination on campus. US District Judge Gerald Pappert ruled that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) may obtain names and contact details of Jewish staff, though the university is not required to disclose affiliations with Jewish organizations or share data on three named Jewish groups. The EEOC launched the investigation following multiple incidents, including the defacing of a Jewish student center with a Nazi swastika, antisemitic slurs shouted during campus disturbances, and hate graffiti near a fraternity house. The probe also examines how Penn handled protests related to the war in Gaza and whether its response contributed to a hostile environment for Jewish employees. Judge Pappert emphasized that while individuals can decline to speak with investigators, the agency must have the chance to contact them directly. He dismissed comparisons made by the university and third parties between the EEOC's request and Nazi-era tactics as "unfortunate and inappropriate." A Penn spokesperson stated the university is committed to fighting antisemitism but plans to appeal, citing privacy and First Amendment concerns. The school maintains it does not keep employee records by religion and opposes being compelled to compile such lists. The EEOC, in a November filing, described Penn's workplace as "replete with antisemitism" and argued that identifying affected individuals is crucial to assessing the severity of the environment.
When Penn officials equate a federal civil rights inquiry with Holocaust-era persecution, it distracts from the core issue: a documented pattern of antisemitic acts on campus. The EEOC's request is standard in discrimination probes and does not compel speech or expose affiliations. Yet the university's decision to frame routine investigative procedure as constitutional overreach risks minimizing the experiences of Jewish staff and students. This is not about creating religious registries — it's about accountability in the face of verifiable hate incidents.
