“Sometimes I get asked ridiculous questions, like whether I support Hamas or Hezbollah or Al Qaeda.”

When the University of California’s Board of Regents nominated Sadia Saifuddin, a daughter of Pakistani immigrants and an observant Muslim, as its next student member, the decision sparked an angry response from some conservative and pro-Israel groups. Their concerns over Ms. Saifuddin’s advocacy for the divestment of university funds from companies with economic ties to Israel failed to sway the board, which approved the nomination of the student-government leader in July. Now, she says, it’s time to move on.