February 1, 2023
Dear Members of Our Campus Community,
We at UC Santa Barbara are fortunate to be part of a diverse campus community, and we share a commitment to fostering an environment that is respectful, inclusive, supportive, and safe.
We are outraged and saddened by the recent distribution of hateful and hurtful antisemitic propaganda against our Jewish community. The Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office is investigating several incidents in Isla Vista. The campus is also conducting a review of a separate incident involving graffiti on a classroom chalkboard.
We stand in support of and in solidarity with our Jewish students, faculty, staff, and neighbors. There is no room at UC Santa Barbara for acts of intolerance directed toward any member of our community. Any actions that undermine our sense of community are unacceptable and unwelcome.
What has happened here at home adds to the pain and suffering that we have felt recently with the mass murder of Asian citizens in Monterey Park, and the video release of the brutal beating and murder of a young Black man, Tyre Nichols, by Memphis police officers. Such horror and inhumanity should not exist in our society, and certainly not on our doorsteps.
I share the strong sentiments expressed by our Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Margaret Klawunn and Interim Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Jeffrey Stewart in their joint statement, which also provides resources for those who may need additional support at this time.
We care deeply for our campus family, and an act against one is an act against all. Today, we reaffirm our strong stand against fear and bigotry, hatred and intolerance, and stand up for kindness, compassion, and the power of community. We will continue to work together to nurture an inclusive, welcoming, and secure living and learning environment where each and every community member feels safe and comfortable expressing who we are and what we believe.
Sincerely,
Henry T. Yang
Chancellor