Antisemitism and the Stanford Great Battle’ (1922–1922): The University of California, Berkeley, San Francisco, June 13, 2001
The representatives from the Jewish Student Association applauded the statement but also highlighted the need for action from the university. Sophia Danielpour, co-president of the student group, said that this is one important part of recognizing all types of diversity.
“This ugly component of Stanford’s history, confirmed by this new report, is saddening and deeply troubling,” wrote President Marc Tessier-Lavigne in a university-wide communication.
The impact of these kinds of practices can last years and she said that the task force only looked at this one specific time.
These fights are nothing new. In 1922, Harvard began asking questions such as, “What change, if any, has been made since you were born in your mother’s name or father’s?”, to determine which applicants were Jewish. (Explain fully.)” Indeed, as scholars like Jerome Karabel and Robert McCaughey have shown, the modern college application process, from the form to the interview, were developed to weed out Jews.
It was good to hear thatStanford adopted a few of the tenets in the last century. Some of its report’s recommended steps for atonement are symbolic, like issuing an official apology (which Stanford just did). Other steps are more concrete, like better accommodating students who need kosher food or don’t use technology on the Sabbath, and thus can’t use electronic key cards on Saturday. The report recommends paying better attention to the Jewish calendar, so the start of school does not conflict with Jewish holidays — as it did this year, when first-quarter classes started on Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year.
One of the recommended steps was vague: to include modules addressing Jews and Jewish identity in appropriate future educational training, seminars and programs intended to make ours a more equitable, inclusive and just community. This is where the authors are asking Jews to be remembered when the university undertakes diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. This means that antisemitism should be seen as an evil, just like racism or homophobia.