Moving Against Campus Anti-Semitism

University of California Irvine Chancellor, Michael Drake led a university delegation on a tour of the Museum of Tolerance and participated in a Tools for Tolerance® seminar along with SWC staff and officials.

Chancellor Drake was very engaged during discussions and assured SWC staff that his campus is committed to clamping down on expressions of free speech that cross the line to create a toxic environment for UCI students on campus.

Plans for future meetings between SWC Campus Outreach and a newly-established local Irvine committee are under way.

Photos: Marissa Roth

Earlier this year, the Simon Wiesenthal Center welcomed the decision by the administration of the University of California Irvine to suspend the Muslim Student Union (MSU) for their disruption of a speech by Israeli Ambassador to the U.S., Michael Oren, earlier this year. The decision came following an independent judicial report that found that the MSU had planned their action well in advance, a violation of UCI’s Principle of Community.

“This is victory against the haters who seek to stifle those who wish to voice their views and who aim to create an open dialogue to solve the ongoing Mideast crisis,” said Rabbi Aron Hier, the Wiesenthal Center’s Director of Campus Outreach, pictured right, meeting with UC Irvine Chancellor Michael Drake. “We hope that this action will begin to redress a climate of intimidation against Jewish students at UCI,” he added.

The Wiesenthal Center's Campus Outreach division has been in the forefront of fighting anti-Semitism and anti-Israel activity on UC campuses and other universities across North America and Europe. Following the Ambassador Oren speech, Rabbi Hier reached out to UCI Chancellor Michael Drake and other officials to urge that Jewish students could voice their opinions without fear of threat and intimidation.