Jewish community members call on action from UNLV to address incidents

LAS VEGAS — Members of Las Vegas’ Jewish community called on the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and the Board of Regents to take action on what they see as a rise of antisemitic incidents on UNLV’s campus.

“The silence is disheartening,” said Stefanie Tuzman, president and CEO of the nonprofit Jewish Nevada, at a Nevada System of Higher Education’s Board of Regents meeting on Thursday. “While the academic year may have concluded, the absence of a clear stance from the university sends a message that these issues are transient and unworthy of address.”

More than a dozen people spoke during the public comment period about the safety of Jewish students and what they say is dangerous dialogue. Many specifically referenced a commencement speech from a UNLV graduate who changed her speech to speak about the Israel-Hamas conflict.

At the commencement ceremony at the Thomas & Mack Center earlier this month, Yvette Machado-Tuinier called Israel’s actions a genocide and lauded student protesters’ efforts to draw attention to the oppression of different communities, including Palestinians. The speech drew ire from some in the Jewish community, who said the speech contained antisemitic tropes and misrepresented Israel’s military response in Gaza.

The university sought to distance itself from the speech and told The Las Vegas Review-Journal the speaker changed their speech that was originally submitted. The university said it understands the words spoken were hurtful to some graduates and do not represent the university’s views.

Members of Las Vegas’ Jewish community called on the university to do more.

On Thursday, UNLV alumna Colleen Freedman urged the university to take action and ensure a similar incident doesn’t occur in the future. She requested the university clarify how the incident happened and explain any disciplinary action the university can take.

“I’m here today because the university that I probably call an alma mater has failed to recognize my rights and the rights of others to sit in a public graduation ceremony, feel represented, included and safe,” Freedman said.

Gregory Brown, a history professor and part of the Jewish faculty and staff, said that while it is good there have been no encampments or acts of violence on UNLV’s campus during the pro-Palestinian protests, there is still a hostile and aggressive environment for Jewish students.

He said students for months have brought up concerns about incidents in classrooms and at student clubs, and rhetoric at protests calling for an intifada, which is an uprising against the global Jewish community.

Moshe Borvick, a husband of a UNLV student, criticized UNLV leadership for meeting with the pro-Palestinian protesters who call for disclosures and divestments from the Israel-Hamas war, and said it legitimizes their “intimidation tactics.”

“(The Anti-Defamation League) calls upon President Whitfield and the board of regents to prioritize the safety and well being of all students and take all necessary steps to ensure UNLV is a safe and welcoming place for Jewish students,” said Nevada Regional Board Chair Sam Schaul.

Giving protesters a place at the table will only incentivize further disruptions on campus, he said, and “antisemitism has been allowed to escalate for far too long with far too few consequences,” Schaul said.

Regent Patrick Boylan spoke up in favor of holding meetings about safety and security measures to keep Jewish students safe and criticized his fellow board members for a lack of action.

“I think you have the people that can do something, that want to do something, but neither the administration nor this board of regents wants to do anything,” he said. “You all are afraid of your own shadows.”

Tuzman worries that the rise of antisemitism will spread beyond campuses to the broader community.

“The lack of action has left our students feeling unsupported and vulnerable,” she said. “It’s not just a campus issue. It’s a broader community concern that requires visible leadership and clear communication.”