UCLA Chancellor Gene Block found himself in the hot seat of the nation's culture wars Thursday, grilled by members of Congress about his handling of complaints of anti-Semitism on campus amid student protests over the Israel War. and Hamas.
For Republican members of Congress, the hearing organized by the GOP-led House Education and Workforce Committee was an opportunity to present UCLA as Exhibit A for how not to deal with the protests.
Almost as soon as activists set up a Palestinian solidarity camp on April 25 in the heart of campus, Jewish students and faculty complained that protesters set up checkpoints that restricted access to many students, sometimes singling out students who They identified as Zionists. But other Jewish students helped set up the camp, arguing that it was not anti-Semitic, but anti-Zionist.
After a violent mob of pro-Israel counterprotesters attacked the camp on April 30, it was dismantled on May 2 and law enforcement arrested more than 200 people.
But Thursday's questioning was not a forum for a constructive discussion about how universities can strike a balance between maintaining free speech and protecting students from discrimination.
Instead, Republicans (and some Democrats) took it as an opportunity to score political points.
“Over years, even decades, universities gradually fueled a culture of radicalism on campus, in which anti-Semitism grew and was tolerated by administrators,” said Virginia Foxx, the committee's chair, in her opening remarks.
The North Carolina Republican attacked Block for allowing the UCLA protests to get out of control.
“For days, you stood by impassively as Jews were attacked and illegal checkpoints blocked access to the campus in broad daylight,” Foxx said. “Your actions were too small and too late.”
Below are some key takeaways from the hearing.
Block said he was late to the camp closing.
In his opening testimony, Block admitted that UCLA made errors in judgment. The camp, she said, “disrupted normal access to some classes” and “impeded our educational mission.”
“In hindsight,” he said, “we should have been prepared to immediately remove the camp if the safety of our community was put at risk.”
He was vague about what he would do differently.
Block did not specify what UCLA should have done to prevent discrimination or violence as the protests escalated. And he did not explain why the university did not take action when students reported discrimination by outside protesters and agitators gathered on campus.
“Why didn't they immediately pass these checkpoints?” —Foxx asked.
Block said he ordered staff to ensure that all students could pass freely without hindrance and then sent a campus-wide memo on April 30, declaring the camp “illegal.”
Taking a soft, non-combative approach throughout, Block did not say what campus discipline had been (or would be) applied to students who violated UCLA rules.
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) criticized UCLA leaders for remaining impassive for hours while a “crowd of agitators” gathered near the camp.
“This happened right in front of your eyes on your campus and was broadcast live for the whole world to see,” Omar said. “How did you fail these students at so many critical points where you could have intervened?”
Block said he rejected the premise of the question.
“How can you reject the premise?” Omar said. “Do these images lie? Are any of these people in jail?
Block said the Los Angeles Police Department was working to identify the attackers.
“It's been over a month,” Omar said, interrupting him.
UCLA Protesters Who Blocked Students Have Not Yet Been Punished
Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-California, asked Block whether physically obstructing students from entering campus because of their race, ethnicity or religion is an expulsion-related offense.
“There is a disciplinary process,” Block said. “Could be.”
Kiley played a viral video showing UCLA protesters blocking a student, Eli Tsives, from passing a checkpoint.
“Were those students the ones who formed the blockade?” Kiley said. “Were they disciplined?”
Block said he did not know and repeated that he sent a memo on April 30 instructing the university community that blocking students was intolerable.
“I'm going to take that as a no,” Kiley said. “There haven't been any consequences?”
“I didn't say that,” Block said. “This is being investigated and we will see what happens with the disciplinary process.”
Block said campus anti-Semitism is a problem
Block, who is Jewish and has family members who died in the Holocaust, said UCLA has an anti-Semitism problem.
“I am fully aware that many of our Jewish students have had to confront rhetoric and images on campus that any reasonable person would find repugnant,” Block said in his keynote address. “Believe me, I understand your pain.”
When asked by Kathy E. Manning, a Democrat from North Carolina, about emails dating back to 2014 showing that alumni had alerted the chancellor to rising anti-Semitism, Block said the university had tried to respond with training.
About 90% of the students, he said, had taken an online training course that included discussions about anti-Semitism.
Manning asked if students and staff need additional training.
“I think we need to do more,” Block said.
But the chancellor also refuted the Republican narrative that UCLA was awash in anti-Semitism.
“I don't think we're a hotbed of anti-Semitism,” Block said. “I think we've had incidents that are disturbing and we're trying to address them.”
