The University of California has resolved nine federal civil rights complaints of antisemitism and bias against Muslim, Arab and pro-Palestinian students stemming from Israel-Hamas war protests at five UC campuses, the U.S. Department of Education announced Friday.
The complaints alleged that UCLA, Santa Barbara, San Diego, Davis and Santa Cruz failed to respond promptly or effectively to harassment of their students based on their actual or perceived national origin and that some of the UC campuses subjected these students to different treatment over access to university programs.
UCLA was a particular hot spot, receiving more than 150 bias complaints about protests and rallies in October and November 2023, as well as complaints related to a large pro-Palestinian encampment on campus over the spring. The reported incidents included chants of “death to Israel” and “intifada now” and complaints that checkpoints at the encampment allegedly denied entry to Jewish students who refused to denounce Zionism.
Muslim, Palestinian American and pro-Palestinian students also reported cases of unwanted filming, doxxing and being followed on and near UCLA campus by other students and members of the public. Many of the members of the pro-Palestinian encampment were Jewish students who identified as anti-Zionist.
Violence at the UCLA encampment against Jewish, Israeli American and pro-Palestinian protesters was “of particular concern,” the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights said.
Officials noted allegations that UCLA, through its campus police, failed to protect Palestinian, Arab and/or pro-Palestinian student protesters while they were violently attacked, injured, and intimidated by counter-protesters, including third parties. An independent review released last month by the UC Office of the President found a “chaotic” response by both administrators and campus police that resulted in a failure to protect students.
UC has agreed to resolve the federal complaints with stronger action to review reports of bias incidents, share campus responses to the federal civil rights office and obtain the office’s approval for any revisions to university policies related to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, and national origin in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance.
UC also agreed to train employees, public safety and campus police officers responsible for handling such complaints.
“The University of California unequivocally rejects antisemitism, Islamophobia, and all forms of harassment and discrimination,” UC said in a statement.
“The University is pleased to share that it has entered a voluntary resolution agreement with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR), furthering UC’s commitment to cultivate a respectful and welcoming environment free from discrimination and harassment based on national origin. This agreement builds upon the University’s ongoing efforts to combat discrimination and harassment based on national origin, including Jewish, Israeli, Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim ancestry, and/or association with these actual or perceived identities.”
