Slatkin

Academic catfighting or anti-Semitism? Dr. Wendy Slatkin claims the University of Redlands (the University) refused to grant her tenure because she is Jewish. The University responds that it refused to grant her tenure because of perceived deficiencies in her teaching. Unfortunately for the University, there was evidence that several of the people involved in the tenure decision were prejudiced against her. Fortunately for the University, the same evidence showed they were prejudiced against her as a matter of academic politics, rather than anti-Semitism. Dr. Slatkin introduced no admissible evidence that anti-Semitism played any role in the denial of tenure. The trial court granted the University’s motion for summary judgment. We will affirm.

I

Factual Background

The following facts are taken from the papers filed in support of and in opposition to the University’s motion for summary judgment. Consistent with the applicable standard of review, we view the evidence in the light most favorable to the party opposing the motion—i.e., in this case, to Dr. Slatkin. (Davis v. Marin (2000) 80 Cal.App.4th 380, 382, fn. 1 [ 94 Cal.Rptr.2d 896 ].)

As will be seen, there are…