A Renewed Commitment to Jewish Tritons

Story by:

• Jen Jordan - [email protected]

Share This:

• Share this story on Linkedin
• Share this story on Facebook
• Share this story on Threads
• Share this story on Twitter
• Share this story via email

Article Content

As a new year dawns in the Jewish calendar, UC San Diego is reaffirming its commitment to fostering a safe, inclusive and supportive campus environment for Jewish Tritons.

Following nearly a year of thoughtful inquiry, discussion and analysis, UC San Diego's Antisemitism Workgroup provided a series of comprehensive recommendations to promote a safer, more equitable environment for Jewish faculty, staff, students and patients in its Antisemitism Workgroup Report. Charged by Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla, this workgroup brought together diverse voices from across the UC San Diego ecosystem, grounded in the belief that campus diversity is a source of strength.

"I sincerely thank the Antisemitism Workgroup for their thoughtful and thorough work," said Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla. "Every Jewish Triton deserves a campus environment where they feel safe, respected and welcomed. By deepening our on- and off-campus partnerships - including our longstanding relationships with Hillel and the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) - we reaffirm our commitment to supporting the overall well-being and thriving of our Jewish campus community members. Our Jewish students, faculty, staff and patients are vital to the fabric of UC San Diego, and our entire university is enriched by their presence."

Building on a Strong Foundation

A central recommendation of the workgroup was the creation of an Advisory Committee on Jewish Life. Through shared governance, the committee will work proactively to improve our campus climate, provide subject-matter expertise, student-informed perspectives and community-connected guidance. Committee members will include UC San Diego faculty, staff and students in alignment to align with broader campus climate and belonging initiatives.

UC San Diego Department of Economics professor Eli Berman, selected by Chancellor Khosla to chair the committee, is encouraged by progress already made in a number of areas following the report's publication, which he attributes to strong leadership commitments across campus.

"At UC San Diego, we were slow to get started, but once we launched, the workgroup's achievement is impressive," said Berman. "Implementation will take sustained effort; it requires changing attitudes towards inclusion in a complex organization. Antisemitism and anti-Israeli bias are forms of exclusion based on background, and subvert our purpose as educators, researchers and health care providers. To achieve excellence, all Tritons must feel included."

Strengthening Culturally Responsive Health Care

UC San Diego Health is taking a comprehensive approach to addressing antisemitism in health care settings and strengthening culturally responsive health care for patients, learners and team members. Guided by recommendations from the Health & Health Sciences Antisemitism Workgroup, efforts span education, patient experience, spiritual care, workforce development, onboarding, professional standards and incident response.

Already underway across the health system, leaders are advancing initiatives to expand access to Jewish spiritual care services, enhance kosher and culturally meaningful food options for patients and visitors, incorporate consideration of major Jewish holy days into organizational planning, strengthen reporting and escalation pathways, and equip leaders and team members with tools to respond effectively when concerns arise. Additional work is focused on integrating expectations around cultural inclusion, professionalism and patient-centered care into onboarding and training programs for medical students, residents, fellows, physicians and team members.

The health system has begun piloting educational programs to deepen understanding of antisemitism in health care settings. One example is "Jewish Identity, Antisemitism & Medicine," a first-of-its-kind seminar series developed in partnership with the American Jewish Medical Association (AJMA). The three-part program brought together clinicians, faculty, learners and team members to explore Jewish identity, the evolution of antisemitism and the ethical responsibilities of health care professionals. Through discussion-based learning and real-world scenarios, participants examined how bias can affect workplace culture, decision-making and patient care and provided practical strategies to recognize and address antisemitism in health care settings.

"Health care organizations have a responsibility to foster environments where everyone feels cared for, respected and included," said Patricia Maysent, CEO of UC San Diego Health. "This work is helping us build a health system where patients, learners and team members from every background feel welcomed and supported. By combining education, accountability and culturally responsive care practices, we are strengthening our commitment to inclusion, belonging and exceptional patient care."

Making the Campus Community Safer

With UC San Diego consistently buzzing with activity, there's a critical need to keep the campus community safe. In response to the Antisemitism Workgroup's recommendation to improve campus safety, a special events and community programs position was created in the UC San Diego Police Department that leads efforts to ensure events and expressive activities are safe for all participants.

"UC San Diego takes the charge of protecting our entire campus community seriously," said Chief Lamine Secka. "We are committed to bringing together people, programs and systems that will proactively strengthen our capabilities, improve coordination and enhance preparedness to serve the entire Triton community."

Thirty-year UC San Diego Police Department veteran Lieutenant Scott Gustafson '00 was selected for the special events and community programs role, overseeing university safety officials, community service officers and the department's training and accreditation unit as well as the newly-created Triton Safety Official (TSO) program.

Creation of the TSO program was influenced by the Antisemitism Workgroup report and is part of a tiered response model at the university. These non-sworn, professional staff members are trained by the police department to help provide safety and security at campus events and on campus property, through de-escalation techniques, and they work to address policy violations or minor issues. TSOs' familiarity with campus life, policies and locations, as well as a direct link to police dispatch and officers, will ensure a safer campus community for all Tritons through providing appropriate, proportional responses to situations.

Looking Ahead

Although the Advisory Committee on Jewish Life is in its early stages, UC San Diego is firmly dedicated to fostering a campus where Jewish Tritons feel supported, valued and heard.

For Ariel Oppenheimer, a fourth-year bioengineering major, said the Advisory Committee on Jewish Life is "an important opportunity to support and validate the experiences of Jewish students, staff and affiliates at UC San Diego" and will affect change across the institution.

"This committee will help to ensure the Jewish community is heard, represented and fully integrated into campus life," she said. "It will put us in a unique position to foster a safer and more inclusive environment for all students."

Vice Chancellor for Organizational Transformation Becky R. Petitt said she was pleased to partner with the committee on this important work.

"Through growing campus traditions, such as Jewish American Heritage Month, and deepening partnerships with organizations like Hillel during major campus events-including Triton Days, Triton Weeks of Welcome and Family Weekend-the university is dedicated to actively weaving Jewish cultural and religious life into the vibrant fabric of UC San Diego's broader diversity and inclusion efforts," she stated. "The workgroup's contributions to our campus are vital and the Advisory Committee on Jewish Life will have a meaningful impact."