University of California Law San Francisco, a public school formerly known as the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, is defending its student government, after the latter reportedly used a school listserv to encourage graduates to buy and wear keffiyehs to graduation ceremonies this month.
Bill Kisliuk, chief communications officer at the school, told JNS that “no mandatory student fees or college funds were used.”
“UC Law SF is deeply committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive environment on our campus and to combating all forms of discrimination, including antisemitism,” Kisliuk said. “At the same time, we vigorously support our community members’ free speech rights.”
The school “complies with and enforces all relevant federal laws, state laws and campus policies, so that every member of our community can participate fully in college activities,” the spokesman told JNS. “When we receive a complaint, we immediately investigate it and reach out to the affected parties to provide support and resources.”
StandWithUs wrote to the school’s leadership on May 7, alleging that the student government used university resources and tools supported by mandatory student fees to promote a “solidarity with Palestine” campaign ahead of the May 11 graduation.
“Some Jewish students at UC Law San Francisco already feel compelled to conceal their Jewish identity out of concern for their safety, including refraining from wearing visible symbols such as Star of David necklaces,” the Jewish nonprofit stated.
“This campaign, which used university resources to promote a controversial political message, raises serious concerns about UCSF Law’s political neutrality and about the equal treatment and inclusion of Jews and Israelis on campus,” the leadership of StandWithUS wrote to the school.
“The message contained no disclaimer distinguishing these views from those of the university,” they added. “Yet it included a specific call to political action by UCSF Law students, namely, to purchase keffiyehs from an order form provided with the statement and to wear them during the upcoming commencement ceremony.”
StandWithUs called on the school to investigate whether student funds were used to support the order of keffiyehs and to “take steps to ensure that commencement remains an inclusive, non-hostile environment for all students.”
