Cliff Mass, a well-known meteorologist and professor at the University of Washington, is no stranger to public commentary. While he is best known for his insights into Pacific Northwest weather, Mass has increasingly turned his attention to what he describes as a disturbing trend of antisemitism, violence, and administrative inaction on the UW campus.
In a recent appearance on The Ari Hoffman Show on Talk Radio 570 KVI, Mass pulled no punches in criticizing the University of Washington’s leadership for its handling of recent events, including violent protests, destruction of property, and what he sees as a culture of tolerance for extremist behavior.
“This is probably one of the most disturbing things that I've experienced here at the UW. There’s been incidents before, but the insane nature of the violence & antisemitism is truly shocking.”
Meteorologist & @UW professor @CliffMass discusses violent protests on campus pic.twitter.com/ShocVhU4ft
— Ari Hoffman 🎗 (@thehoffather) May 14, 2025
“One of the Most Disturbing Things I’ve Experienced”
Mass said the recent escalation of campus violence—including the occupation and vandalism of the Interdisciplinary Engineering Building—was unlike anything he’s seen during his tenure at UW.
“This is probably one of the most disturbing things that I’ve experienced here at the UW,” said Mass. “There’s been incidents before, but the insane nature of the violence and antisemitism is truly shocking.”
According to Mass, internal documents obtained through public disclosure requests reveal that university officials were aware of escalating tensions but chose to ignore or even tacitly support the actions of radical groups on campus.
He referenced the May 5 occupation of the newly constructed engineering building, during which activists caused over $1 million in damages, set fires, and barricaded themselves inside. The occupation was led by the student group Students United for Palestinian Equality & Return (SUPER UW), in coordination with Antifa-linked agitators. A manifesto circulated by SUPER UW praised Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel and provided detailed strategies for resisting law enforcement.
“The university says the right things now that federal funding is at risk,” Mass said, “but they’ve spent the last 18 months enabling this behavior.”
Zero Tolerance: What Cliff Mass Would Do
When asked how he would handle the crisis if put in charge of the university, Mass didn’t hesitate.
“First, there needs to be zero tolerance,” he said. “If a student is involved in violence or vandalism, they should no longer be at the University of Washington. That alone could have stopped a lot of this early on.”
He also advocated for banning masks at outdoor protests, arguing that anonymity has allowed vandals to act without consequences. “Other university systems, like in California, have banned outdoor masking for this very reason,” he noted.
Mass also called for an end to illegal encampments and the strict enforcement of campus rules already in place—such as prohibitions on amplified protests that disrupt classes.
“If they just enforced the rules, this would go away very quickly,” he said.
A Bureaucracy Resistant to Change
With a new university president set to take the helm, many have wondered whether leadership changes could alter the trajectory of the institution. Mass, however, remains doubtful.
“The university is a huge bureaucracy, and I mean huge,” he emphasized. “Unless the new president is exceptionally energetic and willing to take risks, I expect it will all continue the same way.”
Mass believes that meaningful change will likely come only if federal funding is threatened. “Money talks,” he said. “If the Trump administration or any administration starts pulling grants like they did with Columbia, things might actually change here.”
A University in Decline?
Ari Hoffman pointed out that many alumni and local residents are disheartened by the university’s current state and wonder if it can return to the institution they once admired.
“I think it’s possible,” Mass said. “But the university has become deeply politicized. There’s an entrenched bureaucracy promoting a particular ideology. Unless that changes, any recovery will be slow and difficult.”
Double Standards on Campus?
In a moment that underscored his point, Mass recalled a recent protest where a church group brought American flags onto campus in support of Israel—only to be met with police barriers and heavy restrictions. At the same time, UW officials deployed campus police to protect an illegal encampment set up by anti-Israel activists.
“It tells you everything,” Mass said. “There’s a clear bias in how these situations are handled.”
Looking Ahead
Mass continues to speak out via his blog and podcast, Weather with Cliff, using his platform not only to forecast the region’s climate but also to shed light on what he views as dangerous developments at the university he calls home.
Whether or not UW’s leadership responds to his warnings remains to be seen. But as long as tensions escalate and buildings are vandalized, Cliff Mass says he won’t stay silent.
“If you tolerate this behavior,” he warned, “you’ll only get more of it.”
