As students return to campus across the country this fall, colleges and universities face the pressing issue of how to deal with ongoing and alarming antisemitism. These are not isolated incidents but rather a broader problem straining the fabric of higher education institutions. The original sin for many campuses was their tepid (or lack of) response in the aftermath of the brutal terror attack against Israel on Oct. 7. That void was filled by vitriol and hate, fueling a campus pressure cooker until the issue exploded uncontrollably, like a five-alarm fire. The question as the new school year starts is: will the simmering embers break out again, or have campuses done enough to fully extinguish the flames? Antisemitism on campus cannot be attributed to a single individual or a handful of haters, nor limited to areas with few Jewish students or communities. Antisemitism reared its ugly head in places like New York, which has the largest Jewish population in the world outside of Israel. For example, Columbia University’s Task Force on Antisemitism recently issued a report finding “serious and pervasive” problems and proposing urgent, broad changes. The federal Department of Education found that the City University of New York failed to protect Jewish (and Muslim) students from the turmoil that ensued on campuses in the aftermath of Oct. 7 and issued a corrective action plan. These examples illustrate that this is not simply a problem of college presidential leadership but a broader cultural issue that requires change at every level. In higher education’s longstanding system of shared governance — where trustees, administrators, faculty, staff, and students all play a role in driving institutional culture and norms — addressing the issue effectively requires collective effort and accountability from everyone. It’s encouraging that the governor and policymakers in New York are keeping this issue on the front burner. However, despite all the attention, we may miss a crucial opportunity for real change. If we simply return to the status quo after the headlines fade, we will have failed not only our Jewish students, but also the broader educational community that strives for meaningful inclusion. What is needed is a comprehensive plan that goes beyond the virtue signaling of replacing a president or implementing basic, surface-level training.  First, the Anti-Defamation League found a strong relationship between the lack of robust Holocaust education and increased antisemitic beliefs. As colleges have revamped their general education requirements to weave in principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion, it is essential that students be required to learn about the history of antisemitism and major historical events like the Holocaust. Second, more must be done to actively engage students in meaningful debate. Much of the trouble campuses faced originated from being too passive in engaging students in larger, complex, and controversial debates over geopolitical issues — both from the Left and Right. This atmosphere of political correctness has led to avoidance of tackling tough issues, leaving certain groups to fill the vacuum in destructive ways. Third, there is a time and place for free speech and the free flow of ideas (no matter how offensive they may be), but threats, intimidation, and endless disruptions of campus operations cannot be tolerated. Much of the ugliness witnessed on college campuses last year was a direct result of the lack of this clarity and having a clear and firm set of consequences for those who engage in such behavior. Fourth, campuses must refocus their efforts on addressing diversity and inclusion among a broader cross-section of groups that have been subject to historical discrimination. Ongoing and open antisemitism on numerous campuses means these policies have missed the mark. A double standard has emerged where other instances of discrimination have been quickly condemned, but when it came to Jewish students or issues of antisemitism, there was inaction or a lack of the same moral clarity from many institutions. Last year’s turmoil on campuses demonstrated that antisemitism is either deeply rooted in many academic institutions or that college policies and programs have not adequately protected against it. This moment is a reckoning for many institutions, testing their true commitment to inclusion. Treating antisemitism as just another box to check in a compliance manual will not lead to meaningful change. Real transformation requires a commitment to reshaping institutional culture from the ground up. It’s now up to all of us to ensure that this moment becomes a turning point, not a missed opportunity. Malatras is the former chancellor of the State University of New York and former president of SUNY’s Empire State College.