A number of former and current UCI students recently distanced themselves from Jewish groups on campus after organization leaders supported the university’s and Chancellor Michael Drake’s decision to “protect 1st Amendment rights” rather than censor or explicitly condemn certain speakers on campus that some have called anti-Semitic.
The dispute among Jews at UCI comes after the school has faced scrutiny over accusations of anti-Semitism on campus. A Department of Education review said the administration and university did not support anti-Semitism, but a task force review made up of community leaders, mostly Jewish, said anti-Semitism was a problem at the school and called for action.
One of the more extreme suggestions was to discourage Jewish students from enrolling. The task force was initially affiliated with the Hillel organization, but when Hillel decided to suspend the investigation and instead focus on promoting Jewish culture on campus, the task force members decided to forge ahead independently.
“I would like them to acknowledge the fact that anti-Semitism exists [at UCI],” former UCI student Reut Cohen said. “I don’t think they need to shut down any events that are within the boundaries of freedom of speech, but the administration doesn’t have to remain silent.”
The recent debate comes after students protested Drake’s speech at a Hillel conference in Washington D.C.
There were five Jewish leaders who supported UCI, and Drake did so on behalf of their organizations — Jewish fraternity Alpha Epsilon Pi, UCI’s Hillel group, Anteaters for Israel and Jewish sorority Epsilon Phi. They assert that anti-Semitism exists at UCI, but that the university and Drake have done the right thing and continue to work to make the school a positive place for Jewish students to attend.
