Dear Dr. Perman,

We know how committed you are to keeping all students safe on campus, but since October 7th, Jewish students and faculty no longer feel safe. We, the undersigned, believe that fundamental changes must be implemented immediately.  The Jewish Terp Alumni Network (JTAN) is proud to support the recommendations in the letter written by University of Maryland students and signed by the Jewish Community of the University of Maryland. This letter asks that the University of Maryland administration meet the following comprehensive measures centered around Executive Order 13899: Combating Antisemitism and the definition of antisemitism therein to address antisemitism and promote inclusivity on our campus:

Call #1: Comply with Existing Antidiscrimination Laws that Protect Jewish Students, Including Title VI and EO 13899. Furthermore, we ask that the University of Maryland consider specific language calling for violence against the Jewish community as part of their efforts to comply with existing laws.  These phrases include “from the river to the sea” and any reference to “intifada”. We also ask that the University of Maryland consider phrases that are considered by the Jewish community to be antisemitic, including references to Israel as an apartheid or genocidal state, and comparisons of Israel to Nazi Germany

Call #2: Create an Antisemitism Task Force Centered Around Executive Order 13899 We call for the immediate establishment of an Antisemitism Task Force that centers around Executive Order 13899 and appropriate responses to actions or speech deemed antisemitic under the definition.

Call #3: Educate Students, Faculty, and Administrators About Antisemitism Utilizing Executive Order 13899 We insist on the immediate inclusion of antisemitism awareness education in new student orientation programming; diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives; student group leadership training; and discrimination and harassment training. 

Call #4: Ensure Comprehensive Policies and a Robust Process for Responding to Antisemitism in accordance with Executive Order 13899 We ask that the University of Maryland Administration develop meaningful policies to hold UMD community members (including students, faculty, and organizations) accountable for instances of antisemitism. 

We fully support all of the above demands, and additionally recommend Call #5: University of Maryland establish guidelines for faculty to protect academic freedom while holding them accountable to a standard of academic integrity. We ask that you establish policies that prevent faculty members from bullying or otherwise discriminating against students in class, or establishing rules that do not afford consistent treatment of all students. We also ask that, when speaking as a representative of the university (e.g., in their courses, when expressing views in conferences or opinion pieces, etc), the University of Maryland sets clear expectations that faculty should support the university’s efforts to comply with Title VI and EO 13899.

We look forward to engaging in a constructive and productive dialogue with the university administration to address these urgent concerns. By taking immediate action, we can ensure that our campus remains a welcoming and secure space for everyone.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter, and we eagerly await the university's response to these calls. 

Respectfully yours,

The Jewish Terp Alumni Network