UCLA Chancellor’s 9/11 Symposium Comment Sparks Faculty Revolt Over Academic Freedom

Chancellor Julio Frenk issued a statement on Sept. 11 asserting that UCLA does not endorse a law-school symposium examining the legal fallout of the 9/11 attacks, which included a Defense Department attorney for Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and a speaker from the Council on American-Islamic Relations. Faculty members, including 52 law professors, responded with letters demanding a public retraction, arguing the comment implied the event supported terrorism or antisemitism and threatened academic freedom.

Over 200 scholars nationwide signed an open letter echoing these concerns. The Academic Senate sent a more tempered note, urging collaboration to protect academic inquiry, while a few senior faculty praised Frenk for distinguishing institutional values from speaker content. The controversy highlights ongoing tensions at UCLA over campus speech, budget battles, and the chancellor’s broader challenges since assuming office in 2025.