The UC Board of Regents heard public comment from community members Sept. 18 and 19, with people calling for stronger action against campus antisemitism and others urging a shift in UC funding priorities.

The two-day meeting, held at the Meyer and Renee Luskin Conference Center, opened both days with public comment sessions. Students, faculty and community members from across the UC shared comments regarding the UC’s academics, wages and funding during two 30-minute open sessions.

Chloe Levian, a UCLA alumnus, said she has witnessed a troubling rise of antisemitism across the UC. She said she appreciated the regents for adopting a zero-tolerance policy against antisemitism, and she urged them to enforce it.

Talia Davood, a second-year political science student at UCLA and undergraduate representative to the Academic Senate Legislative Assembly, echoed these concerns, saying she appreciated the UC’s zero-tolerance policy. She added that she felt her tuition was being used to perpetuate the exclusion of Jews on campus.

“How could a truck bearing a swastika on its roof have circled around my dorm?” she asked. “For two weeks, the violence and uncertainty left me with no choice but to go home.”

Alongside concerns of antisemitism, community members also urged the regents not to authorize the allocation of military weapons to the UCLA Police Department.

[Related: Regents approve allocation of tear gas, drones, less-than-lethal weapons to UCPD]

Javier Nuñez-Verdugo, a third-year UCLA student and the external vice president of the Undergraduate Students Association Council, called for funds to be redirected from the UC’s senior management and police departments to services that address basic student needs.

Diego Bollo, the USAC general representative 1, also said he opposed the regents’ funding priorities. He added that he was concerned that military-grade weapons bought by UCPD could be used against peaceful protesters.

“This equipment is not being used for protection, but to punish peaceful protest and students using their First Amendment right,” said Bollo, a third-year labor studies and political science student at UCLA.

Tommy Contreras, a third-year political science and public affairs student and the USAC general representative 2, said he was outraged that the UC is allocating funds for military equipment while cutting education resources. He added that with a $125 million cut from the UC budget for the 2024-2025 academic year, he does not see a justification to spend money on militarization.

“This is an assault on our right to free speech and peaceful protest,” he said.

USAC President Adam Tfayli also urged the regents to divest from weapons manufacturing, adding that he believes the regents’ actions should reflect the UC’s commitment to peace, respect and fairness.

“How can we claim integrity while profiting from industries that fuel conflict?” said Tfayli, a third-year human biology and society student. “How can we achieve a positive public impact when our investments contribute to harm?”

Community members also shared comments on other UC spending, including a lack of pay raises for non-represented staff members.

Lucine Torosian, a UCLA alumnus and former president of the UCLA Staff Assembly, thanked the regents for staff salary increases over the past three years but added that with rising expenses, many staff members are still struggling to make ends meet. She called on the regents to offer predictable increases for non-represented staff, equal to raises that represented staff receive.

“Let us make UC the employer of choice,” Torosian said.

At the beginning of the board’s first meeting on Thursday, community members shared public comments for the regents, with many calling on the regents to protect UCLA’s Jewish community.

Ellie Cohen, a fourth-year public health student at UCLA, thanked the regents for considering the wellness of Jewish students. She said that she has been ostracized on campus for believing in the state of Israel and has faced acts of antisemitism on her way to class.

“UCLA has had textbook antisemitism in this past year,” Cohen said. “Jews were portrayed as money-hungry pigs, and there were swastikas, which is the biggest symbol of hate in my lineage, spray painted on buildings.”

Terry Wohlberg, a volunteer clinical faculty at the UCLA Women’s Life Center and member of UCLA’s Jewish Faculty Resilience Group, said that she has been on leave since July because of antisemitism in her department. She added that UCLA Health prides itself on integrity, compassion and respect for all patients and colleagues, and that to live up to these values, UCLA should not tolerate antisemitism.

Community members also called on the regents to not fund military equipment during the Thursday session.

Cassandra Perez, a UCLA alumnus, said by funding this equipment, the UC sends a message to its alumni and students that it does not value or prioritize their voices or safety.

Joshua Barron, speaking on behalf of the National Lawyers Guild of Los Angeles Legal Observer Committee, said the organization vehemently opposes UCLA’s request to acquire militarized weapons for UCPD.

“These weapons will truly only serve to infringe upon students’ free speech rights,” Barron said.