After months of anticipation over whether the University of California’s Board of Regents would adopt a definition of anti-Semitism in the wake of several anti-Israel and anti-Jewish incidents across its campuses, the UC’s governing arm rejected a “Statement of Principles Against Intolerance” drafted by the office of UC President Janet Napolitano at its September 17 meeting in Irvine.
UC is the first statewide university to consider adopting such a set of principles against intolerance.
Several students representing Jewish groups from several UC campuses took turns readings a statement urging the regents to not adopt the statement, but rather pursue a policy that specifically addressed anti-Semitism.
UCLA Students Against Anti Semitism cheer following a University of… “Those who care about protecting Jewish students and improving the entire campus climate are outraged”, said Tammi Rossman-Benjamin, a Jewish Studies lecturer on leave from UC Santa Cruz to lead a coalition of groups combatting campus anti-Semitism.
Jewish organizations concerned about a series of incidents on campuses – including swastikas and Hitler graffiti – asked the UC system in March to take a stronger stand and adopt the U.S. State Department’s definition of anti-Semitism, which includes demonizing Israel or denying its right to exist.
Our letter quoted the late Professor Robert Wistrich, a truly irreplaceable authority on anti-Semitism and its history, observing that anti-Zionism “is the most risky and effective form of anti-Semitism in our time”.
About two dozen people gave input to the board of regents at their meeting at UC Irvine about the proposed “Statement of Principles Against Intolerance”, a broad declaration that free speech advocates contended would amount to censorship.
During public comment, Kurt Horner, member of the UC Student-Workers Union, expressed support for the language of the Statement of Principles and maintained that Israel, as a political entity, should not be immune to public criticism.
Lozano, chairwoman of the university system’s Board of Regents, chose not to even discuss the wording of a proposed “statement of principles against intolerance” brought before the board by system administrators, instead announcing plans to have a panel of system and campus officials, faculty members, and students come up with a new document articulating the system’s position on the issue.
“The reason this whole subject’s in front of us is for specific issues, and this statement doesn’t deal with them”, said chairman of the board Bruce Varner, a partner with Varner & Brandt LLP, at Thursday’s meeting.
Critics say that would silence protests against Israeli policy. We can’t talk about the macro-aggressions against Jewish students and we can’t have a definition which tells us when the line is crossed between legitimate criticism of Israel and anti-Semitic harassment of Jewish students?
But that drew fire from free-speech advocates and groups critical of Israel’s treatment of Palestinians. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), believe that students who behave in racist, anti-Semitic or other biased ways should face penalties such as suspension or expulsion.
Jewish organizations say the watered-down version serves no one. I think is frankly insulting.
“The incessant hatred and bigotry that exists on our campuses… has only worsened in the past year”, said student Regent Avi Oved, a UCLA student.
UC officials declined to comment.
What does the statement mean, why has there been a differentiation between course content and what’s publically been said.
