EASTON, Pa. - It's the weekend of the yearly rivalry between Lafayette College and Lehigh University.
While students on College Hill are preparing for the big game, news that Lafayette is among seven schools being investigated by the U.S. Department of Education for complaints of antisemitism and Islamophobia is filtering through campus.
Education Secretary Miguel Cardona says the complaints arose following the start of the Israel-Hamas war.
"The level of intensity is really high and I think we need to match it with a level of response that meets the moment. We need to be listening to our students," said Cardona.
The investigation is focused on whether the schools violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act that mandates schools provide an environment free from discrimination.
The DOE did not specify what might have spurred the Lafayette complaint.
In a letter on the college's website, College President Nicole Hurd said, "The OCR letter states, 'The Complainant alleges that the College discriminated against students on the basis of national origin (shared Jewish ancestry) by failing to respond to incidents of harassment in October 2023.' There was a problematic poster at a peaceful event on Oct. 25 that was quickly addressed."
"We find any OCR complaint concerning and are fully cooperating with their review," Hurd said.
"At the same time, we have not seen incidents like those that have occurred at other campuses. To the contrary, as recently as last week, students of differing views shared a peaceful gathering on campus to honor all those who have died in the recent violence in the Middle East. This event was typical of how our campus community has acted during this time."
But an Oct. 27 article from Lafayette's newspaper reported on a peaceful protest on campus that sparked controversy when one student held a sign that said "From the River to the Sea," a phrase considered antisemitic.
In a statement earlier Friday, Lafayette officials say they do not know why they were included in the investigation, and that the school maintains a firm stance against antisemitism, Islamophobia and hate speech of any kind.
Students on campus say they were surprised to hear about the allegations, but that the Israel-Hamas war has been a topic of interest on campus.
"I think that there have definitely been a lot of different, like scholarly talks that have happened on campus, I think on social media, that's when we see the biggest amount of polarized opinions and people speaking out," said student Alex Thurtle.
"My professors have asked if people need anything during this time, they need any resources or support really," said student Gracie Gibson.
The other schools on the list are Cornell, Columbia, Wellsley, Cooper Union, University of Pennsylvania, an unidentified K-12, and a school district in Kansas.
DOE officials say just because a school is on the list does not mean it has violated the law.
But if the allegations have merit, it could impact funding.