Cornell University: Student Reported to University Office of Civil Rights for Alleged Antisemitic Comment

In early June 2026, Cornell University student Austin Franco wrote in response to an online job application, “Not interested in working for a jew.” After Franco’s comment was publicly shared on X, Cornell released a statement on June 9 saying, “We take all reports of discrimination and hate speech seriously and are actively reviewing the matter.” Then, on June 13, Cornell announced that it had reported Franco to its internal Office of Civil Rights for a bias incident. 

FIRE wrote Cornell on June 18, explaining that while some may have been offended by Franco’s statement, it is protected speech. Thus, it cannot form the basis for disciplinary action (including a bias incident report, which itself can chill student speech) at a university like Cornell, which proclaims a commitment to upholding student free speech rights.