we begin with a federal investigation being launched at ruter University in Newark the US Department of Education on Monday opened an ethnic discrimination investigation according to Politico NJ which was first to report the probe ruers joins a growing list of universities under Federal scrutiny since the Israel Hamas War began in October and like many other schools has faced criticism recently for its response to Rising cases of anti-semitism the department of Ed declined to comment and isn't specifying on the nature of the investigation but the move follows a wave of Fallout at other higher ed campuses including the ouster of up Pen's president Liz Mcgill and backlash against the leaders of Ivy League schools New Jersey Congressional members sent letters to ruter and other state colleges expressing concern and requesting plans for addressing anti-semitic incidents meantime the Rucker's New Brunswick campus became the first first public HED institution to suspend the students for justice in Palestine chapter this week accusing members of violating several University policies as Melissa Rose Cooper reports the actions are intensifying a fierce debate around Free Speech versus hate speech on college campuses you criticize the human rights elements of what's going on in palestin right now that should not be uh you know categorized as anti-semitic yet Dina Med communications director for the New Jersey chapter of the Council of Islamic relations says that's exactly what's happening following Rucker New Brunswick's decision to suspend the organization's students for justice in Palestine in a letter dated December 11th the office of student conduct indicates the suspension is in response to multiple complaints of gatherings and events that have caused people on campus to feel unsafe members are accused of disrupting classes a program meals and students studying there are also allegations of vandalism occurring at the Ruckers business school it doesn't it doesn't seem justifiable that they would suspend a student group for uh Civil Disobedience work when civil disobedience is um part and parcel of the college experience so it's um it's a little shocking it's worrying um and it feels very mccarus members of SJP calling out Ruckers for a suspension of their organization maintaining all of their actions have included peaceful protests today SJP releasing a statement saying in part none of the allegations are suain substantiated by date testimony or description of incidents according to the letter the allegations reflect complaints by other ruer students faculty or staff which may be no more than a speech disagreement nothing in the letter indicates how these allegations pose a substantial and immediate threat to the safety and well-being of others I think it's shocking and appalling it appears to be a targeted suspension Bas based on Viewpoint discrimination the Ruckus New Brunswick SJP chapter is one of the latest to be suspended in the country brandise Colombia and George Washington all private universities recently suspended SJP chapters on their campuses Audrey truski professor of history at Ruckers University Newark and chair of the Ruckers aaup aft academic freedom committee says acts like these violate everyone's First Amendment right to freedom of speech many of the students who are part of students for justice in Palestine are part of minoritized communities their Muslim Students Arab students Palestinian students um and these groups are under heavy pressure due to a a broader a broader sense of bigotry and especially islamophobia that is sweeping America right now and I think to take this sort of action and further stigmatize members of those communities at this time potentially does place them In Harm's Way which Alex Kan says could also mean harm for some Jewish students since a number of them are involved in Palestinian advocacy groups he believes it's important to distinguish between anti-Semitism and criticism about a government right and I understand why some students might feel attacked because For the First Time in their life they're hearing that Israel is an apartheid or colonial state these are deeply uncomfortable words as if you were a Jewish student who has never heard that who can who who would never dare to think that their Community is supporting these actions and so they think it's anti-Semitism they're also told it's anti-Semitism by the mainstream Jewish Community but I think we need to disentangle that and recognize that we need to be able to criticize the actions of governments no matter if they're Jewish Muslim or Christian members of SJP are now demanding Rucker's immediately reinstated chapter as well as issue a public apology Ruckers maintains it's committed to providing an inclusive environment and allowing an exchange of ideas as long as everyone is safe for NJ Spotlight news I'm Melissa Rose Cooper