Jewish students, faculty urge UC regents to act on antisemitism, discipline and speech disputes

March 20 — Dozens of students, faculty members and staff used the University of California Board of Regents’ public-comment period to press the system to take clearer action on reported antisemitism, to adopt a standard definition of antisemitism and to disclose whether campus disciplinary measures followed last year’s encampments.

The comments came during the regents’ March 20 public comment period. “Chancellor Julio Frenk’s decisive action suspending SJP and launching an initiative to combat antisemitism sets a standard for the entire UC system,” said Chloe Levian, a 2022 UCLA alum and senior Southwest campus regional manager at Stand With Us.

Why it matters: Speakers said the campus climate affects students’ safety and access to education, and several asked the regents to use systemwide policy tools — including a recognized definition of antisemitism — to distinguish protected criticism of Israel from harassment or intimidation that targets Jewish students.

Several speakers praised UCLA Chancellor Julio Frenk’s response to last spring’s encampments and called for a consistent systemwide approach. “We are equally committed to a university where people are able to speak freely and live their identities openly without…