Davis, CA – The group StopAntisemitism has named UC Davis as “one of the most anti-Jewish colleges in America.”
In a report released on Monday, the group urges “Jewish parents and students to reconsider their application, citing the university’s failure to condemn rising antisemitism on campus following the October 7 terrorist attacks that killed over a thousand Jews in Israel.”
“University of California, Davis, has utterly failed to protect its Jewish students, allowing harassment, exclusion, and violent antisemitism to thrive unchecked,” StopAntisemitism founder and executive director Liora Rez said.
Rez added, “Despite reports of discrimination, death threats, and open hostility, the administration has taken little to no meaningful action, abandoning Jewish students in their time of need. This negligence not only endangers Jewish students but also sets a dangerous precedent for intolerance on campus. Parents, do not fund this complicity with your tuition dollars. Choose institutions that prioritize the safety and inclusion of all students—Jewish students deserve better.”
The group released its report on College Campuses in 2024 a little over a year after the 10/7 attack on Israel.
“(T)he findings are deeply disturbing, troubling, and downright depressing,” the report stated. “In the wake of the 10/7 massacre, weʼve seen an unprecedented surge of antisemitism on college campuses, and the data tells a chilling story. Since last yearʼs staggering 1,500% increase in antisemitic submissions…”
Most of the schools evaluated by the group, they said, “will receive failing grades, and the reasons are both alarming and unsurprising. Jewish students and professors have been ambushed, harassed, stalked, and physically assaulted.”
When it mattered most, the report continues, “these universities failed to confront the most pressing questions: Did they protect their Jewish students? Did they unequivocally stand with Israel against Hamas?”
They answer their own question: “The answer, tragically, in many cases is no. Some schools simply ignored the situation, while others created actively hostile environments for their Jewish students through sheer inaction or, worse, willful abandonment.”
Only two of the 25 schools completed the administrative survey.
Here’s what the findings purport to show:
55% of Jewish students have personally been victims of antisemitism at their schools.
- 43% did not feel safe enough to report the incidents. Of those who did report, a staggering 87% believe their school failed to properly investigate.
- 43% hide their Jewish identity from their classmates out of fear.
- 72% feel unwelcome in certain spaces on campus simply for being Jewish.
- 67% say Jews are completely excluded from their schoolʼs DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) initiatives.
- 69% are blamed for the actions of Israel—actions they have no control over.
- 67% feel their university did not take sufficient action to protect Jewish students in the wake of the 10/7 massacre.
- And perhaps most heartbreaking: 43% would not recommend their school to fellow Jewish students.
Here are the findings on UC Davis:
However, UC Davis strongly disagrees with the report.
Following the attack on October 7, 2023, Chancellor Gary May said, “Our community is reeling and in pain from the terror and escalating violence we are witnessing in Israel and in the Gaza Strip. Especially horrific is the use of hostages and the great losses of both Israeli and Palestinian civilian lives.”
May added, “We deeply mourn this catastrophic loss of life and the destruction of many families and futures.”
Bill Kisliuk this morning in a statement, told the Vanguard that “UC Davis is committed to fostering a climate of equity and justice where all can feel welcome and thrive, free of harassment or discrimination.”
He noted that “Chancellor Gary S. May has spoken out forcefullyagainst antisemitism, and has joined with UC President Michael V. Drake and chancellors across the University of California in condemning bigotry and intolerance.”
UC Davis’ Addressing Antisemitism page outlines steps the university is taking and UC Davis has also participated in the Hillel Campus Climate Initiative and Chancellor May has worked “closely with campus partners on a Hate-Free UC Davis campaign to address campus safety.”
“When the university receives a complaint of antisemitism or other offensive behavior, it immediately reaches out to the affected parties to provide support and resources, and reviews the allegations under the university’s anti-discrimination policy,” Kisliuk said.
He added, “Our top priority is to provide support and guidance to any member of our community who may be impacted by harmful speech or offensive behavior, to ensure that they are not restricted in their participation in UC Davis programs or activities.”
