November 2, 2010
TO THE CAMPUS COMMUNITY
Dear Colleagues and Students:
I am writing to share with you the attached message (below) from President Mark Yudof to our university community. I join with him in reaffirming our commitment to a safe, inclusive, and civil campus environment.
As President Yudof mentions, we have a wide array of campus resources to assist and support the members of our campus community. If you have any questions about locating or utilizing these resources, I encourage our students to contact our Office of Student Life at 805-893-4569, and our faculty and staff to contact our Academic and Staff Assistance Program in Human Resources at 805-893-3318.
In June I wrote to you about the formation of our campus's Advisory Council on Campus Climate, Culture, and Inclusion, which is working in coordination with the systemwide advisory council chaired by President Yudof. Because campus climate issues are so vital to the success and well-being of our academic community, I am personally chairing our campus council. We have met three times so far since we first convened in August. Council membership is made up of faculty, students, staff, administrators, and a community representative, as well as academic deans and other ex-officio members. (Please see http://chancellor.ucsb.edu/committees/ for a full list of members.) We welcome your feedback and ideas.
I appreciate the dedicated and collaborative efforts of our students, faculty, and staff to help us uphold the values we cherish as an academic community, and to promote a living and learning environment that is open, respectful, and welcoming to all.
Sincerely,
Henry T. Yang
Chancellor
Message from UC President Mark Yudof
October 19, 2010
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY
Many of us have been made aware of some recent nationally publicized suicides of young students, some on college campuses. I am deeply saddened by these events and extend my heartfelt condolences to all those touched by them.
I want to remind the entire UC community that there are campus resources in place to assist in managing the many stresses and pressures associated with academic, social, and work life. On each of the campus websites, information can be found on counseling and psychological services, multicultural and LGBT offices and resources, and staff trained to work with community members who may feel marginalized. For students living on campus, Residence Assistants and Directors are available for support. Most importantly, each of you is the other's best resource. Support each other and, when necessary, get help from campus personnel.
The suicide of Tyler Clementi from Rutgers University based on anti-LGBT bullying also reminds us of our need to renew our commitment to a safe, inclusive, and civil campus community.
It is incumbent upon every member of the UC community to visibly and vigorously challenge expressions of intimidation and bigotry wherever, whenever, and however they occur. If you experience or witness incidents of bias, I urge you to report these, anonymously if you choose, using an online reporting system the University launched in September. It can be found at www.universityofcalifornia.edu/reportcampusclimate or by calling 1-800-403-4744.
I remain committed to addressing the critical challenges we face in creating and sustaining welcoming and inclusive environments on each of our campuses. To that end, in May, I convened the President's Advisory Council on Campus Climate, Culture, and Inclusion, which has been charged with monitoring and evaluating the progress of each campus in creating conditions that will best support the mission of the University and identify promising practices to in order to create a welcoming and inclusive campus climate. The Council will follow closely reported incidents and our responses to them.
Finally, I invite each of you to review our campus Principles of Community at http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/diversity/principles_community.html, which calls for civility and respect in our personal interactions. I believe all of us strongly support these principles.
With best wishes, I am,
Sincerely yours,
Mark G. Yudof
President