UC faculty urge regents to enforce rules amid antisemitism investigations

"Faculty who signed the letter called on university leaders to draw a clear boundary between individual faculty members' free speech rights and the use of university branding, resources and official platforms to promote political advocacy. They argue that when faculty members appear to speak with institutional backing, it risks exposing the university to legal and financial consequences."

"The issue is not that the university doesn't have the rules, said Ilan Benjamin, a chemistry professor at UC Santa Cruz who helped organize the letter. We are only asking the university to enforce its own rules and discipline people who violate (them)."

"The report concluded that the University of California has failed to enforce policies restricting faculty from using university resources and platforms to advance political advocacy. It specifically cited incidents at UCLA, UC Santa Cruz and UC Berkeley, arguing that those actions created conditions that fostered hostility and discrimination against Jewish students."

Hundreds of University of California faculty members sent a letter to the UC Board of Regents requesting enforcement of existing policies that restrict faculty from using university resources and platforms for political advocacy. The letter responds to federal investigations into alleged antisemitism on UC campuses and a report by the AMCHA Initiative documenting policy violations at UCLA, UC Santa Cruz, and UC Berkeley. Faculty signatories argue that when university branding and official platforms appear to endorse political positions, it exposes the institution to legal and financial risks while potentially fostering hostility toward Jewish students. The faculty emphasize they are not requesting new rules but rather enforcement of current policies. The UC system stated it condemns antisemitism and has implemented measures to address hate and intolerance on campuses.

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