149 Faculty, Staff Urge Policy Changes to Counter Anti-Jewish Hatred at CSU Campuses

LONG BEACH, California  (Press Release) — The following letter, signed by 149 current and retired faculty and staff, expressed deep concern about anti-Jewish behavior in the 23-campus California State University system.  It was sent on Tuesday, May 28, to Chancellor Mildred Garcia and the California State University Board of Trustees:

We, the undersigned, are faculty and staff members from diverse California State
University campuses. We are deeply concerned about the safety and well-being of Jewish
and Israeli students, staff, and faculty as anti-Jewish hate and anti-Israel rhetoric and
violence continues to grow and run rampant on our campuses and have been normalized
in routine processes and instruction. Since the massacres of October 7th, we have
watched in horror and bewilderment as individual faculty and even whole departments
have fomented a hostile and threatening climate for Jewish and Israeli members of the
CSU community.

In recent weeks, this has been further exacerbated by new anti-Israel rallies and illegal encampments on several campuses, which are fueling antisemitism. While many of these events have been promoted under the banner of free speech and academic freedom, the reality is that the organizers of these events, many of whom come from beyond our own campuses, have sought to deny Jewish and Israeli students, staff, and faculty their freedom of speech and their academic freedom, seeking to purge them from campus life altogether.

At the same time, freedom of speech and academic freedom have been dangerously
conflated. As defined by the American Association of University Professors (AAUP)
academic freedom “is a professional right extended to members of the profession and is
subject to certain limitations. Academic freedom means that faculty are free to engage in
the professionally competent forms of inquiry and teaching that are necessary for the
purposes of the university. It does not mean that individual faculty members are free to
teach or publish whatever they want without repercussions.”

Under the guise of academic freedom, some faculty have pushed a partisan, antisemitic, and anti-Israel political agenda in and out of the classroom and have encouraged their students to do the same.

For example, over the last eight months there have been numerous incidents targeting
Jewish and Israeli students in the CSU:
• Images of paragliders used by the October 7th massacres have been posted on
campuses.
• Violent calls for “intifada, revolution,” and “globalize the intifada” have been
chanted on numerous campuses.
• Protesters have blocked Jewish and Israeli students, faculty, and staff from crossing
their campus or entering buildings.
• Posters have been put up on campuses targeting Jewish and Israeli faculty, staff,
and students with their images and calling for them to be removed from campus.
• Antisemitic slogans such as “go away Zionist pigs” have been chalked on campus
walkways.
• Jewish-identified campus spaces (such as bulletin boards and Holocaust
memorials) have been vandalized and defaced.
• Antisemitic speakers have been invited to various campuses, paid honoraria, and
faculty have encouraged their students to attend their antisemitic talks (e.g.,
speakers who claimed that “Jews are not a real people,” “liberatory Jewish
feminism is impossible,” or that the “myth” of Jewish identity was created by
Zionists to perpetuate scientific racism on behalf of global capitalism).
• Students have been given loaded or one-sided prompts regarding on-campus
antisemitic and anti-Israel actions or events to which to respond in class.

Over the same time period, there have been numerous incidents targeting Jewish and
Israeli faculty and staff:
• Some departments have become so hostile that Jewish and Israeli faculty no longer
feel comfortable attending departmental meetings.
• Jewish and Israeli lecturers have had their jobs directly threatened.
• Jewish and Israeli faculty have been denied the opportunity to participate in grants
or have been denied the ability to teach classes in their area of specialty or have been threatened with adverse actions in the Reappointment, Tenure, and Promotion process.
• Jewish and Israeli Faculty attempting to teach classes have been prevented from
doing so and instead were involuntarily evacuated by campus police.
• As of this writing, two campuses have issued statements in support of divestment
from Israel, statements that violate California law (AB 2844).
• The concerted effort to include Palestine Studies as part of Ethnic Studies, in violation of AB 1460, which limits the field to Native American, African American, Asian American, and Latinx Studies (a limitation pressed by Ethnic Studies in part to exclude Jewish Studies).

Much of this antisemitic activity is linked to the establishment of Faculty for Justice in
Palestine (FJP) chapters on various CSU campuses in response to a call from the US
Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (USACBI). These chapters’ chief aim is to bring about the academic boycott of Israel – a key component of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement – and establish it on their campuses, in their classrooms, and in other educational spaces. FJP works with Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and other radical antisemitic and anti-Israel groups to push any faculty, staff, or students who disagree with them off campus.

USACBI has stated that its goal is to stop “the normalization of Israel in the global
academy.” It tries to achieve this goal through promoting the boycott of educational
programs in or about Israel, cancelling or otherwise shutting down pro-Israel events and
activities that aim to educate participants about Israel’s policies and progress, promoting
academic programming and campus events that demonize and delegitimize Israel, and by
condoning the denigration and exclusion of pro-Israel individuals on campus.

All of these actions not only violate the free speech and academic freedom of faculty, staff, and students who wish to either learn or teach in or about Israel, they also violate California law (AB 2844), which bars the CSU system, inter alia, from BDS. They also have a devastating effect on Jewish and Israeli students, faculty, and staff who identify with the Jewish state.

What makes this so alarming now is that the academic BDS movement is not only being
promoted by individual faculty members and groups like FJP and SJP, but by whole
departments, which have embraced efforts to dismantle the Jewish state as core elements
of their discipline. These activities corrupt our CSU mission. That the presidents of two
CSU campuses (Sonoma State and Sacramento) have either fully or partially embraced
this movement, while the Academic Senates at several other campuses have endorsed it,
is profoundly frightening.

All these actions have made our own campuses inhospitable, threatening, and unsafe for
the vast majority of Jewish and Israeli students, faculty, and staff who identify with the
Jewish state and the Jewish people.

The responsibility for strenuously safeguarding the free speech and academic
freedom of faculty, staff, and students falls squarely on the CSU administration. The
failure of campus administrators to enforce policies prohibiting faculty from using their
positions and university resources for political advocacy and activism has emboldened
these faculty to continue carrying out their antisemitic campaign to purge our campuses of Jewish supporters of Israel.

This failure also exposes the CSU system to the embarrassment of a potential Department
of Education Office of Civil Rights investigation or to potential civil liability.
We therefore implore the Chancellor and the Board of Trustees to

1. Establish and enforce robust procedures that ensure campus administrators are
held accountable for addressing violations of university policy regarding faculty
abuse.
2. Ensure that content on bias and prejudice is integrated into existing training at all
levels to ensure that all administrators, faculty, staff, and students are aware of the
norms and biases as defined by the Office of Civil Rights of the Department of Education.
3. Expand existing training to include mandatory annual training in Title VI and Title VII
for all administrators, faculty, staff, and students to ensure that all members of our
campus community understand what Title VI and Title VII requires of them.
4. Create tools to address what the governor has called a “climate of antisemitism,
bias, harassment, and violence” on university campuses in a manner consistent
with the Golden State Plan to Counter Antisemitism (April 2024). These include promoting student safety, belonging, and mental health; strengthening codes of conduct, engaging key stakeholders with intent and purpose, and collaborating with the State of California’s Community Conflict Resolution Unit
5. Hold individual faculty or departments that violate these policies accountable and
impose significant disciplinary consequences. Similarly, administrators unwilling to
enforce CSU policy or worse, embrace its violation, should themselves be sanctioned for dereliction of duty.

Furthermore, we call upon the Chancellor and the Board of Trustees to be proactive to
ensure that the protections of Title VI and Title VII, which include protection from
antisemitism, be fully enforced on our campuses. Toward that end, we call upon the
CSU administration to follow the path blazed by the UC system and create a system-wide
Office of Civil Rights (OCR) that will monitor the campuses of the system and make sure
that the rights of all students, faculty, and staff are protected. Consistent with the policies
being adopted by the UC system, this will:

• Support the CSU policy on the use of university administrative websites.
• Enforce all university policies, including non-discrimination policies, student and
faculty codes of conduct, and student group policies to protect all members of the
university community, including Jewish and Israeli students, staff, and faculty, from
discrimination and harassment based on their shared ancestral, ethnic, and religious identity connected to Israel.
• Ensure necessary action is taken to revoke official recognition and funding of any
student or faculty group that engages in discriminatory practices and/or violates the
code of conduct (including the use of university logos, facilities, and funding).
• Protect the right of all to speak, and thus have zero tolerance for threats or violence.
There should be no toleration for the “heckler’s veto” that would deny others the right to speak. Freedom of speech does not include the right to silence others.
• Support the education of faculty on the responsibilities that accompany the right to
academic freedom, including the requirements of providing space for multiple, diverse viewpoints, and ensuring the factual accuracy of the information and materials they present to students.
• Work with campuses to ensure that the academic freedom of not only faculty but also students is fully protected.
• Empower CSU administrators to immediately speak out to condemn all forms of hate.
• Assist campuses with tools to promptly address violations of Title VI and/or Title VII
on campus, creating a clear process and timelines for incident responses and reporting protocol.
• Create a directive, working with the Office of the Chancellor, that all Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, as well as anti-harassment/anti-discrimination education and training for higher education employees, and state employees, include a component on Jewish identity and antisemitism. In consultation with one or more respected and recognized Jewish organizations, it will develop training modules on religious and ethnic discrimination and antisemitism as part of the onboarding process for students, faculty, and staff.
• Work with campuses to establish a standing Advisory Committee on Jewish Life on
each campus, composed of Jewish leaders, including students, faculty, staff, as well as other stakeholders such as Hillel, who can help provide guidance and support for a thriving Jewish campus life.

If the CSU administration cannot curb the unchecked antisemitic activism of faculty and
departments, then the CSU will soon become wholly inhospitable and unsafe for its Jewish and Israeli members. The CSU system will lose a vital part of its research and teaching staff and its student body and will suffer irreparable reputational and financial harm.

Sincerely,
The undersigned are current and emeritus CSU faculty and staff.

Alissa Ackerman, Criminal Justice, CSU Fullerton
Stephen Adams, Advanced Studies in Education and Counseling, CSU Long Beach
Kathleen Addison, History, CSU Northridge
Benjamin N. B. Alexander, Management, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Heather Altfeld, Comparative Religion and Humanities, CSU Chico
Mark Barash, Justice Studies, San Jose State University
Ken Barclay, Student Affairs, ret., Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Lawrence Baron, History, ret., San Diego State University
Dorna Basiratmand, Social and Behavioral Sciences, CSU Northridge
Cecile Bendavid, Computer Science, CSU Northridge
Clarisa Bercovich, Physics, CSU San Marcos
Raymond Berger, Social Work, ret., CSU Long Beach
Lynne Berman, Art, CSU Los Angeles
Stephen Bittner, History, Sonoma State University
Nancy A. Blum, Psychology, CSU Northridge
Jeffrey Blutinger, Jewish Studies and History, CSU Long Beach
Alexis Boutin, Anthropology, Sonoma State University
Stephen Branz, Chemistry, ret., San Jose State University
Jill Rachuy Brindel, Music, Sonoma State University
Glen Brodowsky, Business, CSU San Marcos
Dan Brook, Sociology and Interdisciplinary Social Sciences, ret., San Jose State University
Jon Bruschke, Human Communication, CSU Fullerton
Sakina Bryant, English, Sonoma State University
Danielle Cain, Theater Arts, Sonoma State University
Nathalie Carrick, Child and Adolescent Studies, CSU Fullerton
David Cline, History, San Diego State University
Fred Cohen, Music, San Jose State University
Lynn Cominsky, Physics and Astronomy, Sonoma State University
Arik Davidyan, Biological Sciences, CSU Sacramento
Deb Donig, English, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Heidi Livingston Eisips, Marketing and Business Analytics, San Jose State University
Victoria Eruhimovitz, Art, CSU Los Angeles
Gary Epstein, Mathematics, ret. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Merav Efrat, Health Sciences, CSU Northridge
Rafael Efrat, Accounting, CSU Northridge
Mark Filowitz, Academic Programs and Enrollment, ret., CSU Fullerton
Steve Finley, Jewish Studies, Sonoma State University
Dennis G. Fisher, Psychology, CSU Long Beach
Dustin Garnet, Art, CSU Los Angeles
Missy Garvin, Psychology, Sonoma State University
Sara Gershwin-Razo, Health Science, CSU Long Beach
Ann Glazer, School of Education, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Deborah Glick, Management, ret., CSU Northridge
Randall Goldberg, Music, CSU Fullerton
Cora Sol Goldstein, Political Science, CSU Long Beach
Nina Golden, Business Law, CSU Northridge
Anne Goldman, English, Sonoma State University
Jesse Goldstein, Religious Studies, CSU Long Beach
Elaine Goodfriend, Religious Studies, CSU Northridge
Catherine L. Gottlieb, Informational Technology, CSU Long Beach
Cindy Gotz, Health Care Management, CSU Long Beach
Paulette Green, Social Work, San Jose State University
Robin Gurien, Human Communication, CSU Fullerton
Kambiz Hamadani, Chemistry and Biochemistry, CSU San Marcos
Sheri Hamrell, Agribusiness, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Ricardo Harris-Fuentes, Art, CSU Los Angeles
Victoria Harrison, Jewish Studies and History, San Jose State University
Philip Heller, Computer Science, San Jose State University
Peter C. Herman, English Literature, San Diego State University
Heloiza Herscovitz, Journalism and Public Relations, CSU Long Beach
Laree A. Huntsman, Psychology, San Jose State University
Lisa Iyer, Liberal Studies, CSU Fullerton
Bryon Jackson, Informational Technology, CSU Long Beach
Heather Jaffe, Child and Family Development, San Diego State University
Jennifer Jaffe, Dance and University Studies, Sonoma State University
Dwayne Jones, College of Agriculture, Food & Environmental Sciences, Cal Poly San Luis
Obispo
Rebecca Joseph, Curriculum and Instruction, CSU Los Angeles
Arnold P. Kaminsky, History and Asian and American Studies, ret., CSU Long Beach
Liz Kaplan, Business Administration, CSU Long Beach
Jonathan Karpf, Anthropology, ret., San Jose State University
Gary S. Katz, Psychology, CSU Northridge
Brian Kennelly, World Languages and Cultures, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Kate Kurtin, Communication Studies, CSU Los Angeles
Linda Landau, English and Comparative Literature, ret., San Jose State University
David M. Lang, Economics, CSU Sacramento
Luba Levin-Banchik, Political Science, CSU San Bernardino
Daniel Levine, History, CSU Long Beach
James G. LoCascio, Mechanical Engineering, ret., Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Richard Marcus, International Studies, CSU Long Beach
James McDonald, Admissions, ret., Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Scott Meltzer, Study of Religion, San Diego State University
Ilan Mitchell-Smith, English and Medieval/Renaissance Studies, CSU Long Beach
Asa Mittman, Art and Art History, CSU Chico
Andrew Morris, History, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Jimmy Moss, Art, CSU Los Angeles
Joshua Moss, Media Arts, Design, and Technology, CSU Chico
Ron Mullisen, Mechanical Engineering, ret., Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Seth Murawsky, Leadership & Service, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Saeed Niku, Mechanical Engineering, ret., Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Shohreh Niku, Food Science and Wine, Nutrition, and Viticulture, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Danya Nunley, Recreation, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Christine Palmier, Biological Sciences, Chemistry and Biochemistry, CSU Long Beach
Greg Pascal, University Police, CSU Long Beach
Suzanne Perlitsh, Geography, CSU Long Beach
Benjamin Perlman, Biological Sciences, CSU Long Beach
Adrian Praetzellis, Anthropology, ret., Sonoma State University
Dmitry Rachmanov, Music, CSU Northridge
Sarah Rapp, Educational Leadership, Sonoma State University
Michael Ray, Physics and Astronomy, CSU Sacramento
Scott Reaves, Food Science and Nutrition, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Grace Reynolds-Fisher, CHHS Deans Office, CSU Long Beach
Marcelle Rocker, Center for Teaching and Learning, CSU Sacramento
Ella Rohde, Human Resources, CSU Sacramento
Alan Rifkin, English, CSU Long Beach
Arlene Ring, American Studies, CSU Fullerton
Jonathan P. Roth, History, San Jose State University
Sandor Samuels, Business Law, CSU Northridge
Sarah Schrank, History, CSU Long Beach
Justin Schneider, Nursing, CSU San Bernardino
Don Schwartz, History, ret., CSU Long Beach
Sharon Seidman, Child and Adolescent Studies, CSU Fullerton
Shari Selnick, Communication Studies, CSU Fullerton
Patty Seyburn, English, CSU Long Beach
Fay Shin, Teacher Education, CSU Long Beach
Jonathan Shapiro, Mathematics, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Carol Shubin, Mathematics, CSU Northridge
Norah P. Shultz, Sociology, San Diego State University
Henry Shreibmann, Jewish Studies, Sonoma State University
Angelos Sikalidis, Food Science and Nutrition, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Cherryl Smith, Rhetoric and Composition, ret., CSU Sacramento
Scott Spitzer, Political Science, CSU Fullerton
Mary Sramek, Japanese Garden, CSU Long Beach
Harry Stark, Psychology, CSU Northridge
Mark Stevens, Educational Psychology and Counseling, CSU Northridge
Andrew Surmani, Music Industry Studies, CSU Northridge
Susan Swadener, Food Science and Nutrition, ret., Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Katalin Szeker, Linguistics and ASLD, CSU Long Beach
Shira Tarrant, Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, CSU Long Beach
Audrey Thacker, English, CSU Northridge
Esther Vogel, Spanish, Cal Poly Pomona
Gerry Wachovsky, College of Liberal Arts, CSU Long Beach
Ivor Weiner, Special Education, CSU Northridge
Brian Wilson, Music and Jewish Studies, Sonoma State University
Ruth Wilson, Music, Sonoma State University
Jed Wyrick, Comparative Religion and Humanities, CSU Chico
Sagit Yemini, Industrial Engineering and Management, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Anonymous, CSU Long Beach
Anonymous, CSU Long Beach
Anonymous, CSU Long Beach
Anonymous, CSU Long Beach
Anonymous, CSU San Bernardino
Anonymous, CSU San Marcos
Anonymous, San Diego State University
Anonymous, San Jose State University
Anonymous, San Jose State University
Anonymous, San Jose State University
Anonymous, San Jose State University
Anonymous, Sonoma State University

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Preceding provided by Professor Jeffrey Blutinger of Cal State University Long Beah