ADL continued its series of trainings at UCLA with two different programs on November 18. In the morning, ADL Regional Director Amanda Susskind and other staff provided a customized training for UCLA’s Council of Student Affairs Directors, designed specifically to provide this group — who interact directly with students on a daily basis — additional tools/resources in their concerted effort to continue creating a safe and inclusive campus culture. The agenda included a discussion about the Pyramid of Hate, giving participants tools to understand the impact of bias and prejudice, including anti- Semitism, and its tendency to escalate when unchecked. The training also included a discussion about freedom of speech and its application in a college setting along with case studies that provided interactive opportunities to develop strategies for responding to bias issues in the future. In the evaluations, one participant said that it was “good to see [the recognition that] we all have biases at the base of the pyramid. If we all start by admitting our own biases, we can have a more productive learning conversation. Thanks!”
That evening, ADL conducted A CAMPUS OF DIFFERENCE® Institute interactive training, CampusALLY™, for the leadership of all Greek organizations on the UCLA campus on creating an open and respectful campus environment. Led by ADL Associate Regional Director Ariella Schusterman and ADL A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE® Institute facilitator Darryl Ordell, chapter and council presidents with close to 70 participants took part in activities that included issues of examining identity, the pervasiveness of biased language, and creating action plans on how to challenge bias before it escalates. In their evaluations, many students indicated that they had learned that “prejudice is not inherent, it’s learned” and that “you should not allow yourself to be a bystander.” They came away with the understanding that — as campus leaders — it is imperative for them to “stop bias and discrimination” wherever they see it. These leaders committed to the hard work required to “not let the bystander effect or conformity take over” and to share these important messages with their chapter members.
Click here for anti-bias resources for college campuses.
ADL had previously given a presentation on anti-Semitism to the Undergraduate Students Association Council in April. During the summer, ADL led a workshop for UCLA senior administrators dealing with anti-Semitism and other intergroup strife on campus.