The College Fix

Accusation is ‘deeply troubling’ says leader of pro-Israel group

A University of Illinois-Chicago professor refused to provide information for Jewish students in a post-election resource guide – and then accused a peer of “playing the victim” for making the suggestion, according to newly obtained documents.

The College Fix obtained 11 bias reports from the university covering the weeks leading up the presidential election through President Donald Trump’s inauguration.

Following the election, a professor in the college of liberal arts and sciences created a slide with post-election resources to share with students.

“I suggested adding a link to the Chicago Metro area Hillel, and included the justification that many Jewish students no longer feel comfortable at student support centers because they have anti-Israel statements on their web pages,” an unidentified professor wrote. “Some one responded she was tired of me ‘playing the victim.’ REDACTED told me I should not criticize the cultural centers because doing so was divisive.”

“The conversation was so hurtful, I could not go into my office, and so sat in my car for an hour between arriving and going to class,” the professor wrote. “I do not believe a faculty [member] simply suggesting a link on a slide to be sure there was someplace for a group of students to be supported would have created such negative, even bullying responses, if the group of students were any other minority group than Jews.”

The college of liberal arts and sciences had nothing else to add about the situation when asked by The Fix. “Dean [Lisa] Freeman was not present for the discussion and, therefore, has no additional information besides what was provided in the report,” spokesman Jonathan Cecero told The Fix via email.

The Fix also emailed the media relations team at the university on Feb. 12 and spoke with Sherri McGinnis-Gonzalez, associate vice chancellor for university communications, over the phone on Feb. 20.

McGinnis-Gonzalez requested an email with more information and specific questions be sent to her email. She has not responded further in the past two weeks.

However, the leader of a nonpartisan education organization that supports Israel criticized “antisemitic bias” on college campuses, saying the group has seen it before.

“It is deeply troubling to hear that a faculty member’s simple request to include Hillel as a resource was met with hostility,” StandWithUs CEO Roz Rothstein told The Fix via a media statement.

At least one student support center hosted multiple pro-Palestinian events in the fall semester.

For example, the Arab-American Cultural Center, advertised events such as a “Disability Justice in Practice: Responding to Palestine” to be held on October 8.

In September and October of 2024, the page posted an advertisement for a screening for a documentary on Israel unleashing “wrath on Lebanon for 34 days” and an event “holding space” for Arab students during “difficult times in Palestine, Lebanon, Sunday, Yemen, and the rest of the Arab World.”

The event “holding space for our Arab students at the ArabAmCC” on September 30 aimed to help people “process the emotions of these current events” in Middle Eastern areas as those “back home [Palestine, Lebanon, Sudan, Yemen, etc.] are facing death, violence, starvation, and displacement.”

When asked how universities can ensure that Jewish students are offered resources alongside other students, Rothstein, with StandWithUs, said: “If a university is providing support resources for students, it must ensure that Jewish students have equal access without fear of exclusion or bias.”

“Schools have a legal and moral obligation under Title VI to uphold these standards, and they must take that responsibility seriously,” Rothstein said.

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race. It also prohibits discrimination on the basis of religion.

The obtained bias reports included both anti-Jewish and anti-Muslim reports.

Other complaints included in the obtained bias reports included an October 31 complaint about a “‘Swastika and ‘death to Jews’ written [i]nside stall at the all-gender bathroom.”

Another complaint from November 4, 2024, said that the graffiti in the all-gender bathroom included “a Star of David crossed out,” “a swastika,” “Die Jew,” and “Fuck Jews.”

Several weeks later, someone complained about an Instagram photo “of a non-Muslim girl wearing a hijab and mocking the culture.” The Muslim student who complained wanted her peer put on probation or expelled, according to the complaint.

MORE: ‘White male’ UIC professor sues university for racial discrimination 

IMAGES: Jyurinko/Shutterstock; University of Illinois Chicago

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