Washington, D.C. — In a new letter to the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Subcommittee on Health Chair Brett Guthrie (R-KY), and Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Chair Morgan Griffith (R-VA) press for information regarding antisemitic harassment and intimidation at UCSF and its associated medical centers under UCSF Health.
The investigation comes as part of Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-LA) House-wide effort to crack down on antisemitism on college campuses.
KEY EXCERPTS:
“As a recipient of federal funding—both through various U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) grants and Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements for health care services provided at UCSF Health medical centers—UCSF has an obligation to comply with federal law and to prevent and appropriately respond to discrimination and harassment.”
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“The reports of antisemitic harassment and intimidation at UCSF and its associated medical centers coupled with the inadequate response by UCSF leadership is concerning to the Committee. Failing to act decisively to ensure a safe environment for all students, faculty, staff, and patients is a grave dereliction of your responsibilities as Chancellor of UCSF and UCSF Health.”
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“Failing to comply with basic safety protections for members of the UCSF and UCSF Health communities or failure to respond appropriately to and prevent harassment and discrimination, no matter the cause, may be grounds to withhold federal funds from the university and its associated medical centers. Congress has an obligation to ensure compliance with Title VI. If Congress determines an institution of higher education is in violation, we may consider rescinding research and development funds previously appropriated. Similarly, if Congress determines a medical facility is in violation, we may consider rescinding the right to participate in federal health care programs.”
BACKGROUND:
An encampment in front of UCSF’s medical center has caused significant disruption to campus and health care operations, as well as great distress for members of the community, including health care professionals and patients. Many Jewish health care professionals working at UCSF Health have also expressed concerns regarding their safety—including concerns of their private information being made public. This fear is well founded, as there have been numerous antisemitic public statements by faculty, staff, and students at UCSF and/or UCSF Health, such as assertions that patients should fear Jewish doctors, false claims that Israel trains U.S. police to brutalize people of color, or statements that Israelis in the U.S., including students at U.S. universities and medical schools, who have served with the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) should be tried for war crimes. Hundreds of complaints of antisemitism and/or a hostile work environment have been made by employees and patients of UCSF and UCSF Health to the UCSF Office of Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination (OPHD), with confidential sources reporting that most complainants receive a response that these actions and statements fall under free speech protections.
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