Anti-Semitism at the University of California: Its getting hard to ignore

UC President Janet Napolitano and UC Board of Regents Chairman Bruce D. Varner made the following statement today (March 11):

Recent instances of anti-Semitism at University of California campuses compel us to speak out against bigotry and hate, wherever it might occur and whoever might be targeted.

Like other members of the University of California, we were appalled when student government representatives at UCLA doubted the ability of a Jewish student to serve on the Judicial Board without bias simply because of her faith. While the student government representatives ultimately realized they were wrong to treat this student as they had, and voted unanimously to appoint her to the Board, the initial action wounded the entire UC community. 

Earlier this year, vandals at UC Davis defaced a Jewish fraternity house with anti-Semitic graffiti, including two swastikas — a hateful affront to all across the UC system. Administrative leaders and students quickly decried the crime as repugnant and a gross violation of our values. But the damage was done, to all of us.

Anti-Semitic incidents such as these, as well as bigotry directed against any members of the UC community because of their faith, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation, will not be tolerated. They deserve our condemnation. We applaud the UCLA and UC Berkeley student governments for unanimously passing resolutions condemning anti-Semitism.

All of us bear responsibility for preserving and strengthening the University of California’s bedrock values of respect, inclusion and civility. Doing so requires the constant attention and the enduring commitment of every member of our community, every day, everywhere.