Joint statement by UC Berkeley and Brandeis Center
Today, the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law and UC Berkeley
announced a settlement to resolve the discrimination claims brought forward by an Israeli
researcher against the University. UC Berkeley’s own investigation last year found that
discrimination had occurred, but the harm done to Dr. Yael Nativ was not addressed prior
to the Brandeis Center’s lawsuit.
The lawsuit alleged that a UC Berkeley department chair declined Dr. Yael Nativ’s
application to teach because she was Israeli, a complaint substantiated by UC Berkeley’s
Office for the Prevention of Harassment & Discrimination (OPHD). As part of the
settlement, UC Berkeley publicly acknowledges the violation of UC Berkeley’s policy
against discrimination with regard to Dr. Nativ and commits to rigorously enforce this
policy to prevent recurrence.
When the discrimination against Dr. Nativ was reported to UC Berkeley’s OPHD, the
Office opened an investigation and found that Dr. Nativ was the victim of discrimination
in violation of the University of California’s Anti-Discrimination Policy, which prohibits
discrimination, including discrimination based on Israeli national origin or Israeli
citizenship. In resolution of the Brandeis Center’s lawsuit filed on behalf of Dr. Nativ,
UC Berkeley has agreed to take the necessary actions to address this issue.
As part of the settlement, UC Berkeley has agreed to continue to strictly enforce the
University of California’s Anti-Discrimination Policy and “respond promptly and
equitably to reports” of Prohibited Conduct as defined in that Policy, including by taking
“appropriate action to stop, prevent, and remedy the Prohibited Conduct and, when
appropriate, to impose corrective action/disciplinary measures.” Dr. Nativ will receive a
personal apology from UC Berkeley’s Chancellor Rich Lyons and monetary damages in
the amount of $60,000, a portion of which she has decided to donate to a charitable
organization. In addition, UC Berkeley will invite Dr. Nativ to teach the course she was
not invited to teach—and which she successfully taught during a previous semester at UC
Berkeley—in a semester of her choosing. The excellence of Dr. Nativ’s teaching was
never in question, and UC Berkeley appreciates Dr. Nativ’s willingness to teach the
course despite the discrimination that OPHD found to have occurred.
Statement from Chancellor Rich Lyons
UC Berkeley Chancellor Rich Lyons shared the following statement: “I respect and appreciate Dr. Nativ’s decision to settle this case. She is owed the apology I will provide on behalf of our campus. We look forward to welcoming Dr. Nativ back to Berkeley to teach again.”