Taskforce to Combat Antisemitism and Anti-Israeli Bias at UCLA

Since October 7, 2024, I have dedicated significant effort to addressing discrimination and inclusion, with an emphasis on evaluating campus climate. As a member of the Task Force to Combat Antisemitism and Anti-Israeli Bias at UCLA, I took a leadership role in drafting a survey, recruiting participants, analyzing data, and incorporating diverse perspectives into a final report with recommendations. The 428 survey responses collected included undergraduate and graduate students, post-doctoral scholars, staff, and faculty. The analysis provides important insights for the UCLA community about respondents’ perceptions of antisemitism and anti-Israeli bias, as well as the impact on teaching and learning, well-being, and the campus climate.

A former acting UCLA chancellor wrote that the report “is excellent, thorough, scientific, professional, and thoughtful.” A UCLA faculty member wrote: “I have read the report and as one who has been doing or supervising such studies for the US Government for over 50 years I can honestly tell you that I think that they did an excellent job. The lengthy discussion of the overall problem at the start is outstanding and the structure of the survey, etc. is very good.” One staff member stated: “for the first time in the past year, I feel seen and heard.” The Chancellor began to adopt the recommendations in our report by appointing a committee for implementation.