I want to set the record straight about San Francisco State University, which recently received a “C” on the Anti-Defamation League’s “Campus Antisemitism Report Card.”
Historically, SFSU has been viewed as a bellwether for antisemitism on college campuses not just nationally, but internationally. During a 2024 trip to Israel for Hillel leaders, we met with Israeli President Isaac Herzog.
Upon hearing about my role as executive director of San Francisco Hillel, he rolled his eyes and remarked that SFSU was a “tough one.” I took the opportunity to explain how much the campus had changed. Today, I would argue that SFSU is a model for addressing antisemitism on college campuses.
ADL’s “C” grade, while an improvement over last year’s “D,” does not fully reflect the administration’s efforts or its impact on Jewish student life. Because the ADL assessed hundreds of campuses with a one-size-fits-all methodology that combines unrelated criteria into a single grade, it fails to capture the supportive environment for Jewish students at SFSU.
In 2019, SFSU was among the first universities to join Hillel International’s Campus Climate Initiative, which trains university administrators on how to respond to antisemitism on campus. Our administration is much better prepared than it once was. In a 2024 presentation to administrators nationwide, Hillel International general counsel Mark Rotenberg pointed to SFSU as a leader on this issue.
As a result of the Campus Climate Initiative, SFSU has established a committee of faculty, staff and students, along with representatives from SF Hillel and Hillel International, to track progress toward meeting a long list of goals.
Shortly after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, SFSU President Lynn Mahoney and state Sen. Scott Wiener (D-S.F.) met with Jewish students to hear their experiences. Both listened intently to each student. While there are few easy fixes, the students felt heard and supported.
In December 2024, while SF Hillel staff attended a conference, the Hillel building was vandalized with antisemitic graffiti. Though our building is not located on campus and no SFSU students were involved, the university coordinated with law enforcement officers to remove the graffiti. Mahoney issued a public statement condemning the act, which was also signed by leaders from several other nearby schools served by the Hillel, including the heads of the University of San Francisco, UC Law San Francisco and UC San Francisco.
Following the success of a $9.2 million capital campaign, for which Mahoney was instrumental in cultivating donors, SF Hillel needed temporary space during construction. The university graciously lent us space in the campus library.
“Combatting campus antisemitism and partnering with Hillel should be priorities for every university president,” Mahoney said when asked about the importance of Hillel. “SF Hillel provides critical support for our Jewish students, as well as serving as a key resource for the university’s work. Together, we are working hard every day to make SFSU a welcoming space for Jewish students.”
Professor Marc Dollinger of SFSU’s Jewish studies department, who wrote a forthcoming book on campus antisemitism, told me that S.F. State stands as a model for universities nationwide. “While no college administrator can control the actions of bad actors, ours has created the systems and approaches to respond when they do,” he said.
Student leaders agree. Maddux Eckerling, SF Hillel student president, told me the university has made a lot of progress toward supporting students. “I am grateful for President Mahoney’s leadership and responsiveness towards our community,” Eckerling said. “Each time I email her or meet with her, the response time and care in the response blows me away.”
SFSU and SF Hillel continue to strengthen their partnership. Students say the university takes their needs seriously and addresses issues as they arise. Ultimately, campus climate is defined by student experience. Their respect for President Mahoney and the administration only confirms general counsel Rotenberg’s comment: Look at SFSU to see how to do it right.