UConn students testify on controversial campus safety bill 

Students at the University of Connecticut testified on the controversial campus safety bill SB00980 on Friday, March 7. 

The bill would create a Title VI coordinator on campus to address racial discrimination. It would also create partnerships between campus police and local and state police to “coordinate security for campus groups that are at a heightened risk, as determined by the president of such institution, of being the target of a terrorist attack, hate crime or violent act.” 

CT for Palestine asked people via Instagram to testify in opposition to the bill, stating that it would harm pro-Palestine activists. Students from UConn’s chapters of Hillel and Jewish on Campus spoke in support of the bill. 

According to State Senator Derek Slap, there were 201 people signed up to testify at the hearing, which included speakers testifying on other bills in the Joint Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee meeting. CT for Palestine said on Instagram that over 120 people testified in opposition to the bill.  

UConn human rights graduate student Sara Trueax was involved in organizing people to testify against the bill. She stated that she thought that the bill would lead to more arrests. 

“This bill specifically would clear the way to criminalize any students who are forcing support for peaceful end to the genocide in Gaza and the West Bank and all of Palestine. And really, that’s what, that’s what we want to be able to do, is protest,” Trueax said. “We want to be able to show that we are against this. We are against the killing of innocents.” 

Bill co-sponsor State Senator Matt Lesser offered testimony in support of the bill. He stated that federal law requires universities to have a Title IX coordinator on campus to ensure universities follow federal sex discrimination law. Lesser said that the bill would add a Title VI coordinator to ensure universities follow racial discrimination law. It would not make any hate incidents illegal beyond what already exists, according to Lesser. 

“The problem is how we investigate and resolve claims of hate incidents or discrimination,” Lesser said. “Without a Title VI coordinator, there is not always a consistent, designated point person on campus. Nor is there always a clear procedure for a school to review and adjudicate claims. Nor is there a clear standard in place for them to involve or not involve law enforcement when discrimination or harassment rise to a certain level.” 

Lesser suggested removing language on policing from the bill. 

State Sen. Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox said that most schools already have policies to deal with discrimination. 

“My other concern, when it comes to campus speech, is this partnership with the police force,” she said. “Because this is an important constitutional right is also to be able to display dissent. Not to make others feel threatened, of course, but to be able to not feel like that’s going to be shut down with increased policing on campus.” 

UConn graduate student Benjamin Stumpf spoke out against the bill. 

“This bill is a hardly concealed attempt to silence those who are speaking the truth about Israel’s genocide of Palestinians,” Stumpf said. “As a Jewish graduate student, the weaponization of claims to my safety to trample free speech, suppress protest and target the student movement against genocide is an obscenity. The equation of antisemitism with criticism of the state of Israel’s genocide of Palestinians is an obscenity.” 

Stumpf disagreed with the idea that this bill would enhance campus safety. He said that there was no Jewish safety without free speech. 

“The underlying logic of this bill is a perverse inversion that says that silence about genocide will keep people safe. Surveillance and repression keeps no one safe,” Stumpf said. “The threat to safety on campus comes from the police, the Republican attack on higher education and the Democrats who play junior partner to fascist oppression.” 

UConn sophomore Eva Dannison spoke in support of the bill. She is the Co-President of UConn’s chapter of Jewish on Campus. 

“Collectively, life as a Jewish college student in a post-October seventh world has been anything but normal,” Dannison said.  

She shared her experiences of antisemitism on campus since October 7. 

“I was singled out by a professor in the middle of class who asked me if I was Jewish and when I reluctantly nodded, pushed me to share my opinions on the Middle-Eastern conflict even after I refused,” Dannison said. “’Free Palestine’ has been written on multiple occasions on the whiteboards of Jewish students’ dormitories, targeting their living spaces for no other reason than their Jewish identity, which was not even openly displayed.” 

University Spokesperson Stephanie Reitz said in an email that UConn offers a course “Why the Jews? Confronting Antisemitism” to educate students on antisemitism which 3,500 students have completed over the past three years. 

“UConn also has a Campus Climate Committee composed of administrators from across the University working to maintain a safe, inclusive, and supportive campus environment for students, faculty, and staff,” Reitz said. 

Jenna Rabba testified in opposition to senate bill 980. She is a UConn alumnus and was the president of UConn’s chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine last year. 

“As the daughter of two Palestinian refugees from Gaza who came to this country in search of a better life, my family witnessed unimaginable loss,” Rabba said. “Over the past two years, my family in Gaza has been devastated by Israeli airstrikes. I have lost two uncles and three cousins and those who remain have lost their homes and now live in tents, displaced and struggling to survive.” 

Rabba spoke about death threats she received  as president of UConn SJP. 

“Last year, and simply for holding that position, I received two death threats and was wrongfully reported to the university office of community standards,” Rabba said. “If this bill had been in place when I was a student, I have no doubt that I would have been subjected to surveillance by both local and state police, targeted not for any wrongdoing, but for simply speaking out against the atrocities I have witnessed happening to my own family.” 

Rabba is one of the 26 people arrested at the encampment last year. She said that while Connecticut leaders claim stand against the Trump administration, the bill echoes the principles of Project 2025. Rabba said that the proposed measures had the ability to destroy the lives of student advocates. 

“Policing and surveillance have never been the answer. They have done nothing but further alienate vulnerable individuals and create marginalized communities,” Rabba said. “I stand here today for every student down the line who dare speak against tyranny, fascism or genocide. This is a very dangerous bill. Simply put, it’s anti-democratic and anti-education.” 

Sophia Hendizadeh is a freshman at UConn and the communications director of Jewish on Campus. 

“Stepping onto campus was a culture shock. Since coming to UConn Storrs campus, I have seen hate in forms I have never seen before,” she said. “Last semester, I took a human rights course. I soon discovered that the TA in the class had extreme antisemitic views and tried to promote them in class.” 

Hendizadeh said that this made her uncomfortable being in the class. She said that she was assigned articles on the Israel-Palestine conflict which did not mention Hamas’ terrorist attack on Oct.ober 7, or the Israeli civilians killed. 

“I soon found myself tucking in my Star of David necklace under my shirt every day before walking into the classroom. I did this because I felt almost certain that my views and my Jewish identity would impact my grade in the class.” 

She said that she reported this to the Dean of Students, but there was no follow up or disciplinary action that took place. 

Reitz said that UConn condemns bigotry. 

“UConn condemns all forms of bias and bigotry and works to ensure all students feel safe and welcome on its campuses,” Reitz said. “This includes a robust bias reporting system that helps the University identify individuals or groups in need of support and includes UConn Police to investigate actions that may involve a law enforcement response.”