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Regents urged to address antisemitism claims and provide visible support for Jewish community
Summary
Multiple speakers, including Jewish faculty groups and allied colleagues, asked the regents to resolve pending employment claims, provide visible support for Jewish faculty and students, and ensure timely responses to harassment and threats.
Members of the Jewish faculty resilience group, allied faculty and other community members told the University of California Board of Regents Health Services Committee they want prompt resolution of employment claims related to alleged antisemitism and clearer, visible protections from the university.
"Why have the Regents refused to settle these cases on reasonable terms? Why have the Regents not even presented counter offers to existing settlement proposals?" asked Terry Wahlberg, volunteer clinical faculty at UCLA and a representative of the Jewish faculty resilience group, urging the regents to resolve cases promptly rather than letting them linger.
Doreen Seidler Feller, an adjunct professor of psychiatry in Los Angeles who identified herself with the Jewish faculty resilience group, asked the regents to restore balance between free expression and protection from harassment by applying principles similar to the "Chicago principle," which the University of Chicago adopted to protect free expression while allowing reasonable time, place and manner restrictions.
Allied faculty also called for visible and timely support. "Today, I respectfully ask for the same visible, timely, and meaningful support for our Jewish community," said Tamiko Skotsky, a physician scientist at UCSF, who said Jewish colleagues and trainees are afraid and some have concealed their identities.
Speakers described both personal safety concerns and the procedural handling of employment or discrimination complaints. The public comments were appeals and requests for action; no committee motions or votes were recorded during the open session. Commenters asked the regents to present counteroffers in settlement negotiations, increase visibility and responsiveness to reports of harassment, and apply consistent protections for all marginalized groups.
