The Trump administration has stepped up its campaign against alleged antisemitism on U.S. campuses, and this time California State University (CSU) is in the spotlight.
Federal investigators have subpoenaed CSU for personal contact information of employees, including email addresses and phone numbers, as part of an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) probe. The move has sparked alarm among faculty, who say the demand violates privacy rights and could intimidate staff into silence.
The investigation comes as Trump’s Department of Education and Justice Department expand their crackdown on universities across the country, claiming schools have failed to protect Jewish students and faculty. More than 60 campuses nationwide are now under review, with CSU and the University of California systems facing some of the toughest scrutiny.
At Cal State Los Angeles, the California Faculty Association is urging staff not to hand over information without legal guidance. Critics say the federal actions blur the line between hate speech enforcement and political policing, warning the approach could punish legitimate protest and free speech.
For now, CSU is weighing its next move, but the subpoenas mark one of the most aggressive steps yet in Trump’s nationwide push to hold universities accountable.
