UC Berkeley has provided the personal information of roughly 160 students, staff and faculty to the federal government in a directive from the UC Office of the President.
In an attempt to comply with an investigation into alleged campus antisemitism by the Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights, or OCR, UC Berkeley released the names of individuals and their “potential connection” to reports of alleged antisemitism, according to an email from campus spokesperson Janet Gilmore.
Affected individuals received an email Sept. 4 from the campus Office of Legal Affairs notifying them that their names and information had been released. The message said the information had been disclosed over two weeks earlier.
“As part of its investigation, OCR required production of comprehensive documents, including files and reports related to alleged antisemitic incidents,” the Office of Legal Affairs email read. “This notice is to inform you that, as required by law and as per directions provided by the UC systemwide Office of General Counsel (OGC), your name was included in reports as part of the documents provided by OGC to OCR for its investigation on August 18, 2025.”
One campus graduate student, who received the message and was provided anonymity due to fears of retaliation, claimed the release targeted Muslim and Arab individuals who had previously expressed support for Palestine.
“I think (the message was sent) to anybody who has ever been accused of antisemitism, which of course, includes a lot of Palestinians,” the student said. “Whenever we teach about Palestine, it usually leads to an investigation. I think they flagged and sent all of that information to the federal government.”
The student claimed they had been the subject of a false report of antisemitism to the campus Title IX and XI Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination, or OPHD. They said other students who received the notification had OPHD cases that were determined to be unsubstantiated or stand open.
While OPHD is the primary office for any harassment or discrimination reports, Gilmore said documents were sent from, “multiple campus offices to address (OCR’s) questions regarding campus handling of antisemitism on campus.”
Campus officials did not say which offices provided information or what criteria were used to determine which individuals were associated with “antisemitism.”
In February, the Department of Education initiated an investigation into UC Berkeley’s handling of campus antisemitism. This, alongside an investigation from the DOJ and Chancellor Rich Lyons’s testimony to Congress this summer represent a year-long crackdown on universities following the 2024 pro-Palestine encampments.
Alongside UC Berkeley, UCSF, UCLA, UC Davis and UC San Diego have been targeted in Department of Education antisemitism inquiries. According to the campus grad student, some of these campuses also released student information to OCR at the direction of UCOP.
However, these campuses did not send notifications to affected individuals, the student said. Alongside campus community members, the student said they notified pro-Palestinian groups across the UC that their members' personal information may have been shared with the federal government.
UCOP did not comment on the compliance of other campuses or the specific directives given to UC Berkeley.
In a Sunday Instagram post, UC Berkeley Students for Justice in Palestine, or SJP, decried the university for its “betrayal” to students, claiming campus administrators had previously provided them assurances that “identities would remain protected.”
“Chancellor Rich Lyons should not have given assurances that he wouldn't be giving our information to the federal government,” the student said. “Beyond that, he should never have bowed down so easily. I would think that a university that prides itself on being this liberal haven would at least stand up to a fascist like Donald Trump.”
In the final line of the email notification, the Office of Legal Affairs said the OCR investigation is still ongoing and further disclosures could be required.
Moreover, the student and other individuals affected by the disclosure said this action has made them fearful, as they worry about how the information is going to be used by the Trump administration.
“We’re concerned about how are they going to use that information to further repress us not only on campus, but also in our everyday lives,” the student said.” One of the things that I'm getting ready to do is my research year; and now I have to consult lawyers about even if it's safe to do my research, which is what I came here to do.”