Watch Chancellor Lyons’ opening statement to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce

On Tuesday, July 15, UC Berkeley Chancellor Rich Lyons testified before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce in a hearing regarding antisemitism in higher education. Watch his full opening statement to the committee above, and read his remarks below.

Good morning Chairman Walberg, Ranking Member Scott, and members of the Committee.  I’m Rich Lyons and I just completed my first year as Chancellor of UC Berkeley.  Thank you for inviting me to discuss Berkeley’s longstanding efforts to combat antisemitism and support our Jewish community.

Berkeley unequivocally condemns antisemitism.  Our commitment to our Jewish students, colleagues, and community is unwavering.  Since well before the horrific terrorist attacks of October 7, Berkeley has been partnering with our Jewish community to combat antisemitism and foster a vibrant Jewish life.

I am the first to say that we have more work to do.  Berkeley, like our nation, has not been immune to the disturbing rise in antisemitism.  And, as a public university, we have a solemn obligation to protect our community from discrimination and harassment, while also upholding the First Amendment right to free speech.

After a year as Chancellor, I can confidently say that Berkeley is committed to meeting this challenge.  We have adopted new initiatives designed to curb antisemitism by confronting the rise in hate directly.  I work in close collaboration with my Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on Jewish Life, with the Berkeley Center for Jewish Studies, and with our pioneering Antisemitism Education Initiative.  These programs help us recognize and confront antisemitism, support the Jewish community, and navigate the complexity of lawful protest versus harassment.  We recently instituted new antisemitism training for all incoming students.  And we continue to invest in new security and safety measures to strengthen compliance with campus rules.  These are just some of our new initiatives — we continue to work with our Jewish community to respond to the ignorance at the heart of this deplorable hatred.

I’m proud of Berkeley’s long history and vital contributions to our nation’s success.  Our mission requires that we strive for a campus where all our people feel safe and respected.  That same mission enables our research to advance the health, well-being, and security of the American people.  That mission allows Berkeley to lift more students further up the economic ladder than any other university.  Our undergraduates create more funded new businesses than any other university.  As a public institution, Berkeley has a solemn obligation to protect the quintessential American value of free speech.  This obligation does not prevent us from confronting harassment and discrimination in all its forms, including antisemitism.  I look forward to answering any questions you may have.