Student Belonging and Exclusion Survey Report - Report 3 - Task Force on Antisemitism

Oct 15, 2026

Student Belonging and Exclusion Survey Report (June 2025) presents results from the Harmful Exclusion Alleviation Longitudinal Study (HEALS), commissioned by the University and conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago. Survey responses from over 9,000 students indicate significant negative impacts of 2023–2024 events on Jewish and Muslim students’ sense of acceptance and belonging. Findings detail heightened concern and fear surrounding political expression related to the Israel–Hamas conflict, alongside overall campus climate challenges and recommendations for improvement and reassessment.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages83

Reading Time3 h 29 min

AccessFree to download

The Survey

Study design and rollout

Response rate and scope

Key Findings

Belonging and acceptance by religion

Expression, tension, and fear

Consistency and Context

Alignment with listening sessions

Campus climate snapshot and improvement

Use of Results and Next Steps

Tool for ongoing improvement

Planned follow-up research

Student Belonging and Exclusion Survey Report June 2025 Presented by: NORC at the University of Chicago Please contact the project team for questions: [HEALS@norc.org](HEALS@norc.org) Report \#3: Task Force on Antisemitism June 2025 The Survey Today, we are releasing the report from a survey the University commissioned, showing that Columbia’s Jewish and Muslim students were significantly less comfortable on our campus than their peers here during the 2023-2024 academic year. The survey provides methodologically rigorous evidence that is consistent with what the Task Force on Antisemitism heard from almost 500 students in more than two dozen listening sessions during the Spring 2024 term. We wanted to release the results publicly as we prepare to issue our final report. The task force proposed this study early last year, and it was approved by the University and supported by University leadership. The task force contracted with NORC at the University of Chicago, a highly respected nonpartisan research firm specializing in surveys, and worked with NORC staff to develop the survey instrument. The survey—called the Harmful Exclusion Alleviation Longitudinal Study (HEALS)—went out in June 2024 to more than 35,000 Columbia students and closed in September of 2024. More than 9,000 students completed the survey, for a completion rate of more than 25% overall and more than 30% among undergraduates. We believe this is the most comprehensive student survey any American university has carried out and made public that focuses on how its students experienced the turbulent 2023-2024 academic year. We are grateful to the leaders at this institution for their support in conducting this survey and disseminating the results. This report stands as a sign of Columbia’s commitment to rigorous academic research and transparency, and of its determination to identify difficulties on campus so they can be successfully addressed. The survey results indicate that the events of last year significantly and negatively affected Jewish and Muslim students’ feelings of acceptance and belonging at Columbia. Overall, a plurality (50%) of students reported feeling a positive sense of belonging at the University, while only 34% of Jewish and 41% of Muslim students reported positive sentiments of belonging. Sixty-two percent of Jewish and 53% of Muslim students said they did not feel accepted for their religious identities at Columbia, compared to 13% of Christian students and 11% of students with other religious affiliations. For both Jewish and Muslim students, political expression around the conflict between Israel and Hamas was a site of serious tension and sometimes fear. Most Jewish (87%) and Muslim (82%) students felt concerned about expressing their beliefs. A majority of Jewish students—69%—said that expressing support for any side in the conflict had made them feel they were in personal danger, as did a majority of Muslim students—65% . In all cases, these percentages are far above what the survey showed for Columbia students overall (33%) . These findings are consistent with what the task force heard in listening sessions and discussed in its second report, issued as the current academic year was beginning. The survey confirms that discomfort among Jewish students was widespread by the end of the 2023-2024 academic year. The survey also provides evidence of the exclusion and pressures Muslim students experienced in the 2023-2024 academic year. The survey was designed to provide data on the experiences of all students. The problems in the University climate are real, multifaceted, and serious. They are also solvable. We release this report in the hope that the Columbia community will continue to move with urgency in addressing the issues the survey results from last year describe. This report provides a snapshot of the campus climate at the end of the 2023-24 academic year, not necessarily as it is today. Indeed, our anecdot

FAQs

What is the HEALS survey and when was it conducted?

HEALS is the Harmful Exclusion Alleviation Longitudinal Study. It was sent to more than 35,000 Columbia students in June 2024 and closed in September 2024.

How did the survey findings describe changes in belonging for Jewish and Muslim students?

The results indicate that 2023–2024 events significantly and negatively affected Jewish and Muslim students’ feelings of acceptance and belonging, compared with Christian students and students of other religious affiliations.

What does the report say about political expression during the Israel–Hamas conflict?

For both Jewish and Muslim students, political expression around the Israel–Hamas conflict was described as a site of serious tension and sometimes fear, with majorities reporting concern and many stating they felt personally in danger.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Taylor Morgan