June 23, 2024
Dear Members of Our Campus Community,
As an academic community, we believe strongly in the principles of freedom of speech and academic freedom. Over the course of a difficult year, we sought to balance the rights to protest and exercise freedom of speech with the rights of the broader campus community to pursue our educational mission and to live, work, and learn in a welcoming, inclusive, and safe environment.
After a small, unauthorized encampment was set up in May, in violation of University policies, we sought a peaceful resolution of the protest that would avoid the violence experienced on other campuses across the country. Consistent with our campus traditions, administrative officers and senior staff listened to student concerns and held meetings to respond to student and faculty questions about campus finances, research funding, investment policies, academic programs, and UC policies.
Although student demands included actions that are beyond the jurisdiction or control of the campus, that violate UC policy, and that are under the purview of the Academic Senate, we reiterated our commitment to continue and to broaden discussions about the important issues raised by students to involve all interested campus stakeholders, consistent with our democratic culture, the principles of academic freedom, and shared governance.
Since May, the number of tents, banners, and signs increased. The walls of the library and bathrooms near the tents were defaced by vandalism. Our appeals to respect the rights of the broader community and to remove signs that many in our community reported as offensive and threatening were ignored. While we respected the right to protest peacefully, the encampment became increasingly disruptive to students who were trying to pursue their educational goals, as well as faculty and staff who support the academic mission of the University. There were increased health and safety concerns. Campus and university policies, as well as federal law, require us to maintain a safe environment and workplace free from harassment and intimidation.
We offered the encampment the opportunity to voluntarily disband, but they refused. The University then made the decision to remove the unlawful encampment.
We recognize sincere and deeply held convictions about painful global events. We remain committed to dialogue, debate, and education. As a public university, the University of California welcomes scrutiny of its policies and practices. We are grateful to all the students, faculty, and staff who have worked to promote opportunities for constructive and educational conversations during this difficult year, and we will continue these conversations in the months ahead.
Our principles of community have been strained and we need to work together to restore them in a safe and tolerant environment that protects freedom of expression and supports our common academic mission.
Sincerely,
Henry T. Yang
Chancellor
David Marshall
Executive Vice Chancellor
Garry Mac Pherson
Vice Chancellor for Administrative Services