UC tells student helpers ‘keep advocacy out of classroom’

university of caliofrnia logoSANTA CRUZ, California (Press Release)– Twelve Jewish advocacy groups applaud University of California (UC) Provost Aimee Dorr and UC administrators for protecting the well-being of Jewish students.

The groups wrote to UC President Janet Napolitano in August after the 83-member joint council of UAW 2865, representing all the graduate student instructors, tutors and readers at the 9 teaching campuses of the University of California, issued a statement outlining the union’s intent to support the anti-Israel and antisemitic Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, and to seek a full-membership vote.

“While we support the right of every member of UAW 2865 to exercise his or her freedom of speech outside of the instructional setting, we are greatly concerned that these union members, who are responsible for instructing undergraduate students on 9 UC campuses, will bring their unscholarly, politically-motivated and antisemitic propaganda and advocacy into UC classrooms, where it certainly does not belong,” wrote the groups in August.

Dorr, on behalf of Napolitano, affirmed for the groups that the University’s Policy on Course Content and other UC policies prohibit academic student employees (ASEs) from engaging in such actions, and she assured the groups that all ASEs would be reminded of these policies and their obligation to adhere to them.  Dorr also wrote to all Chancellors notifying them of the UC policies which prohibit ASEs from using their instructional positions to promote political propaganda or advocacy, including the promotion of a boycott of Israel.

A letter of appreciation was sent on Tuesday, October 7, from the 12 groups to Dorr.

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