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IDENTIFYING DISCRIMINATORY TREATMENT
Determining when you are being treated differently on account of your Jewish identity is not always easy . Did an administrator deny your Hillel access to the student activities fair because s / he disapproves of Jewish students ’ connection to Israel , or simply because you turned in your registration forms past the deadline ? Often , there are innocent explanations , or reasons wholly unrelated to discrimination , for school polices that feel unfair or unjust . Not every bad policy is discriminatory ; universities also have plenty of seemingly irrational policies that affect Jews and non-Jews equally .
The key is neutrality . If a university offers a service or benefit to members of some ethnic groups , it is discriminatory to deny it to others . So if you suspect that a Jewish student is being disfavored , it is often useful to think in comparative terms . If your Hillel group was not allowed to rent a certain campus auditorium , were other similar student groups allowed to do so ?
RESPONDING TO DISCRIMINATORY TREATMENT
Because incidents of unequal treatment are not always clear , if you ’ re worried that you might have been mistreated on account of your Jewish identity , it is usually wise to consult with others . Staff at your school ’ s Hillel , older students , alumni or supportive faculty may have prior experience with similar situations or particular professors or administrators , and may be able to offer additional insight and perspective . They may also have relationships with school officials or institutional knowledge that could help you resolve issues in a relatively straightforward , non-confrontational manner . For example , a school official who is reluctant to authorize a Jewish group to use a campus venue for a pro-Israel speaker because she fears controversy or disruption may be willing to reverse course if someone authoritative conveys the message that her refusal could be discriminatory . speaker out of fear of controversy may be willing to reverse course if someone she trusts explains that a refusal could be discriminatory .