Charmaine Chua
@charmainechua.bsky.social
Writing a book on the history of the "logistics counterrevolution.” Geography, political economy, labor studies. UCSB. www.charmainechua.com
Bali also notes that while OCR cases often end in voluntary resolutions, it is ONLY in cases of shared ancestry around allegations of antisemitism that such resolutions include mandatory trainings (eg around the IHRA definition)& mandatory reporting by campus police abt such discrimination.
October 10, 2025 at 12:31 AM
Bali also notes that while OCR cases often end in voluntary resolutions, it is ONLY in cases of shared ancestry around allegations of antisemitism that such resolutions include mandatory trainings (eg around the IHRA definition)& mandatory reporting by campus police abt such discrimination.
Bali notes the reputational harm that arises even when complaints are unfounded are hard to shake: individuals have no straightforward way to respond once it moves to the OCR level. These harms prevent contingent faculty from getting jobs, regardless of the strength of evidence in such complaints.
October 10, 2025 at 12:31 AM
Bali notes the reputational harm that arises even when complaints are unfounded are hard to shake: individuals have no straightforward way to respond once it moves to the OCR level. These harms prevent contingent faculty from getting jobs, regardless of the strength of evidence in such complaints.
None such complaints of anti-semitism require a burden of evidence: in one case at Cornell, an investigation was filed on a single paragraph alleging that a professor “has spread so much hate & lies; he is literally brain washing students to hate & discriminate towards a certain religion-Jews.”
October 10, 2025 at 12:23 AM
None such complaints of anti-semitism require a burden of evidence: in one case at Cornell, an investigation was filed on a single paragraph alleging that a professor “has spread so much hate & lies; he is literally brain washing students to hate & discriminate towards a certain religion-Jews.”
2) pro-Israel advocacy that naturalized the conflation of anti-semitism and anti-Zionism. In contrast, complaints around anti-Muslim discrimination were chilled. And indeed, often sharing an opinion emerging FROM one’s Muslim or ME identity was conflated with a form of anti-Semitic discrimination.
October 10, 2025 at 12:23 AM
2) pro-Israel advocacy that naturalized the conflation of anti-semitism and anti-Zionism. In contrast, complaints around anti-Muslim discrimination were chilled. And indeed, often sharing an opinion emerging FROM one’s Muslim or ME identity was conflated with a form of anti-Semitic discrimination.
Bali notes that this increase in alleged cases of antisemitism discrimination is the result of 1) advocacy within the administration during the Obama and Biden years to incorporate anti-semitism into Title VI investigations through shared ancestry, and
October 10, 2025 at 12:23 AM
Bali notes that this increase in alleged cases of antisemitism discrimination is the result of 1) advocacy within the administration during the Obama and Biden years to incorporate anti-semitism into Title VI investigations through shared ancestry, and
An LPE blog post by Darryl Li reports on these findings here: lpeproject.org/blog/the-ris...
The Rising Threat of Antisemitism Investigations
In the fall of 2023, the Department of Education launched more antisemitism investigations into colleges and universities than in all previous years combined. This record was surpassed in 2024 and is…
lpeproject.org
October 10, 2025 at 12:23 AM
An LPE blog post by Darryl Li reports on these findings here: lpeproject.org/blog/the-ris...
More antisemitism investigations were opened in the 2 months following Oct 7 2023 (25 in total) than ALL previous years COMBINED. In 2024 that figure climbed to 38 and 2025 promises another record breaking year.
October 10, 2025 at 12:23 AM
More antisemitism investigations were opened in the 2 months following Oct 7 2023 (25 in total) than ALL previous years COMBINED. In 2024 that figure climbed to 38 and 2025 promises another record breaking year.
MESA has been trying to take protective action By undertaking data collection to shed light on what they’ve been seeing in attacks on academic freedom across the country. Here’s what they’ve found:
October 10, 2025 at 12:23 AM
MESA has been trying to take protective action By undertaking data collection to shed light on what they’ve been seeing in attacks on academic freedom across the country. Here’s what they’ve found:
Asli Bali speaks on behalf of the Middle East Studies Association and as a public international law scholar. MESA scholars have been in the cross hairs across the country — and OCR actions have undermined their academic freedom & freedom of speech.
October 10, 2025 at 12:23 AM
Asli Bali speaks on behalf of the Middle East Studies Association and as a public international law scholar. MESA scholars have been in the cross hairs across the country — and OCR actions have undermined their academic freedom & freedom of speech.
Soucek notes that one fight faculty should and must have now is to seize the opportunity to insist on robust revisions to faculty disciplinary procedures— ones that go beyond and guarantee more protections that existing constitutional protections do.
October 9, 2025 at 11:50 PM
Soucek notes that one fight faculty should and must have now is to seize the opportunity to insist on robust revisions to faculty disciplinary procedures— ones that go beyond and guarantee more protections that existing constitutional protections do.
But we also have to look inward at the UC itself. it is not beyond possibility that files containing complaints made against faculty about the content taught in classrooms can be used against faculty if the UC chooses to go against principles of academic freedom to dismiss university workers.
October 9, 2025 at 11:50 PM
But we also have to look inward at the UC itself. it is not beyond possibility that files containing complaints made against faculty about the content taught in classrooms can be used against faculty if the UC chooses to go against principles of academic freedom to dismiss university workers.
The lawsuits that @aaup.org and CUCFA have filed are crucial ways to take a proactive stance against the Trump administration. Lawsuits like AAUP v Rubio have been successful so far and are needed to stop the improper purposes that the Trump admin has been committing
October 9, 2025 at 11:50 PM
The lawsuits that @aaup.org and CUCFA have filed are crucial ways to take a proactive stance against the Trump administration. Lawsuits like AAUP v Rubio have been successful so far and are needed to stop the improper purposes that the Trump admin has been committing
Brian Soucek, constitutional law scholar, notes that we know for a fact that the UC released far more names than 160 at Berkeley - names were also released on many other UC campuses but did not choose to disclose this fact to their faculty, students and staff.
October 9, 2025 at 11:50 PM
Brian Soucek, constitutional law scholar, notes that we know for a fact that the UC released far more names than 160 at Berkeley - names were also released on many other UC campuses but did not choose to disclose this fact to their faculty, students and staff.
Releasing these names endangers members of the university community.The UC knows that, and Lhamon notes, “I would want the university to stand for justice”
October 9, 2025 at 11:40 PM
Releasing these names endangers members of the university community.The UC knows that, and Lhamon notes, “I would want the university to stand for justice”
The UC is aware that releasing PII could endanger faculty students and staff under current conditions - where non citizens have been deported as violations of their first amendment right.
October 9, 2025 at 11:40 PM
The UC is aware that releasing PII could endanger faculty students and staff under current conditions - where non citizens have been deported as violations of their first amendment right.
Lhamon notes, however, that the UC requested to anonymized names, and the Trump administration denied this request. The UC chose not to contest this denial. “That choice reflects an assessment of litigation risk, not a decision to fulfill a mandatory legal requirement”
October 9, 2025 at 11:35 PM
Lhamon notes, however, that the UC requested to anonymized names, and the Trump administration denied this request. The UC chose not to contest this denial. “That choice reflects an assessment of litigation risk, not a decision to fulfill a mandatory legal requirement”
“The OCR cannot do its job of ensuring that universities are responding adequately to alleged discrimination without releasing this information to the federal government”
October 9, 2025 at 11:35 PM
“The OCR cannot do its job of ensuring that universities are responding adequately to alleged discrimination without releasing this information to the federal government”
Lhamon notes that while none of this is comforting, it is the law. WRT the Berkeley situation, Lhamon notes that typically, OCR requests require the university to turn over active case files. The OCR is usually looking to see how the university responds to cases of alleged discrimination
October 9, 2025 at 11:35 PM
Lhamon notes that while none of this is comforting, it is the law. WRT the Berkeley situation, Lhamon notes that typically, OCR requests require the university to turn over active case files. The OCR is usually looking to see how the university responds to cases of alleged discrimination
FERPA also permits access to PII, and prior consent is not required to access this information. While at the OCR, Lhamon issued a note that the OCR does not generally disclose PII to other govt entities unless it relates to other civil rights violations.
October 9, 2025 at 11:29 PM
FERPA also permits access to PII, and prior consent is not required to access this information. While at the OCR, Lhamon issued a note that the OCR does not generally disclose PII to other govt entities unless it relates to other civil rights violations.
The release of PII to the OCR is not unusual but is regular; Lhamon has seen many such investigations in her 8 years in office in order to investigate discrimination over national origin.
October 9, 2025 at 11:29 PM
The release of PII to the OCR is not unusual but is regular; Lhamon has seen many such investigations in her 8 years in office in order to investigate discrimination over national origin.
Catherine Lhamon served as the asst secretary of civil rights under the Biden and Obama administrations. The Office of Civil Rights, she notes, has a statutory and regulatory right and authority to receive personally identifying information (PII) from universities to investigate title vi violations
October 9, 2025 at 11:29 PM
Catherine Lhamon served as the asst secretary of civil rights under the Biden and Obama administrations. The Office of Civil Rights, she notes, has a statutory and regulatory right and authority to receive personally identifying information (PII) from universities to investigate title vi violations
Because the UC has been negotiating behind closed doors, “It is by no means outside the realm of possibility that named individuals could get used as bargaining chips in these negotiations” and their release is imbricated in the attack on public higher education.
October 9, 2025 at 11:23 PM
Because the UC has been negotiating behind closed doors, “It is by no means outside the realm of possibility that named individuals could get used as bargaining chips in these negotiations” and their release is imbricated in the attack on public higher education.
Zoe Hamsted, chair of legal affairs at the Council of UC Faculty Associations, begins by contextualizing the moment. No faculty at the UC has seen the demand letter the Trump admin sent to the UC regents; despite multiple PRRs, admin will not release the scope of demands made on the UC
October 9, 2025 at 11:23 PM
Zoe Hamsted, chair of legal affairs at the Council of UC Faculty Associations, begins by contextualizing the moment. No faculty at the UC has seen the demand letter the Trump admin sent to the UC regents; despite multiple PRRs, admin will not release the scope of demands made on the UC