What We Are Doing

  • The UC Board of Regents, at its March 24 meeting, held an extended public comment period and discussion of recent incidents of intolerance on University of California campuses and the efforts to address them. UC San Diego Chancellor Marye Ann Fox restated that like all institutions in the University of California system, UC San Diego values diversity and champions a climate that encourages academic success of our students. She condemned these hurtful incidents in the strongest way. She outlined common goals and accountability steps that UC San Diego is undertaking to address these issues head-on . Special Advisor Christopher Edley, Dean of the Boalt School of Law at UC Berkeley and a widely respected authority on civil rights issues added, “UC San Diego has pulled together a dizzying and quite effective list of initiatives. They have done a great job and I give them a solid A.”
  • “Addressing Intolerance in Higher Education” was the topic of a March 20 community forum held on the campus of UC San Diego. Panel participants were comprised of members of the California Legislature including San Diego representatives Senator Christine Kehoe and Assemblymembers Nathan Fletcher, Lori Saldana and Marty Block, as well as representatives from UC San Diego and the University of California, UC San Diego Black Student Union, San Diego Urban League, San Diego NAACP and the San Diego Anti-Defamation League.
  • On March 11, the Reverend George Walker Smith brought UC San Diego administration and academic leadership together with the community’s African American leaders to discuss partnerships to encourage underrepresented residents in San Diego to come to campus, as well as other outreach activities to engage alumni and address faculty recruitment.
  • UC San Diego is fortunate that Christopher Edley, dean of the UC Berkeley School of Law and renowned civil rights law expert, has agreed to serve as a special advisor to assist with the implementation of the campus climate action plan. On March 8, after the first meeting with Edley, it is clear that the campus will benefit tremendously from his insight, wisdom and guidance.
  • We met with the Speaker of the California Assembly, John A. Perez, on March 4 regarding actions the university is taking to move past hurtful incidents and improve the campus climate. We shared the progress UC San Diego has made in enhancing diversity on the campus, in the curriculum and throughout the UC San Diego community.
  • UC San Diego reports success in defining common goals at today’s (March 4) meeting between senior administrators, faculty and students, led by Black Student Union co-chairs David Ritcherson and Fnann Keflezighi to address diversity issues to improve the campus climate. The adopted recommendations aim to move the university past hurtful incidents and improve the campus climate by enhancing diversity on the campus, in the curriculum and throughout the UC San Diego community.
  • UC San Diego Police have completed their investigation of a female student’s role in hanging a noose in the seventh floor of the Main Library last week, an action that set off a series of campus anti-hate protests on Feb. 26. The investigation was filed with the San Diego City Attorney about 2 p.m. March 2 as a possible hate crime.
  • UC San Diego police are investigating the discovery about 11 p.m. Monday of what appeared to be a white pillowcase that had been crudely fashioned into a KKK-style hood with a hand-drawn symbol. It was placed on a statue outside the main campus library, and a rose was inserted into the statue’s fingers. The items have been removed and the police are processing them for evidence, including fingerprint and DNA analysis. An aggressive police investigation is underway. University officials noted that this incident will be pursued with all of its authority, and individuals who are responsible will be punished to the full extent of the Student Code of Conduct and all applicable laws.
  • Meeting with Black Student Union and Campus Leadership: March 1, 2010
    The Chancellor, Vice Chancellors, Academic Deans, Provost and other campus leadership met with Black Student Union leaders to convey their support and commitment for making real change. An implementation team is meeting with BSU leaders to address the recommendations submitted over the weekend. We, the campus community are committed to making meaningful changes that will enhance the diversity of campus environment, develop a multi-cultural curriculum and increase the diversity of our students, staff and faculty. The implementation teams from both campus and the BSU continue to work through the recommendations.
  • Other actions implemented by the university to date include, but are not limited to, the following:
    • Creating a task force to focus on recruiting minority faculty;
    • Forming a commission to address the campus climate;
    • Continuing to fund Faculty-Student Mentor Programs;
    • Ensuring ongoing funding for the Chancellor’s Diversity Office;
    • Identifying space for an African American Resource Center on Campus; and
    • Meeting with Black Student Union members at least once every academic quarter.
  • A female student responsible for placing a noose in the Geisel Library contacted the UC San Diego Police Department and admitted to this racist action; she has been suspended from the university. An investigation is ongoing. The police have had discussions and consulted with both the San Diego District Attorney and the U.S. Attorney about possible criminal charges.
  • Our campus-wide Teach-In on February 24 provided the UC San Diego community – including students, faculty, staff and administrators – a forum to engage in discussions on why racially stereotyped events still occur, and the impact of these events in our community. Some community members also attended rallies as a way to express their feelings.
  • We’ve met with African-American leadership including San Diego City Council member Tony Young, the Reverend George Walker Smith, representatives from the Urban League and the NAACP, as well as other community leaders and have agreed to work together on ways to rebuild and heal issues caused by hate and bias.
  • Fraternities have suspended members during a review of the incidents: The fraternities have launched a review of the off-campus, racially themed party, and have suspended members, pending a full investigation of the activities.
  • Associated Students has formed a campus climate committee: A.S. took action at its February 17 council meeting to form a campus climate committee comprising student leaders from campus organizations. The committee’s charge is to “establish an effective space for dialogue between different committees on campus, advocate for underrepresented communities, create institutional change via communication with administration and develop programs that serve to unite and share various experiences expanding from identify.”
  • Associated Students have launched review of media funding: A.S. President Utsav Gupta is assembling a committee to review policies and procedures regarding use of student fee funds for media.
  • Associated Students has closed SRTV: With the authority vested in the Student-Run Television (SRTV) charter, the Associated Students (A.S.) leadership closed the station following the presentation of an unauthorized broadcast by KoalaTV.
  • We’ve committed funding for the vacant Program Coordinator that supports the African-American Studies Minor Program.
  • We joined legislators in Sacramento in a press conference against hate: We’re providing updates to our state legislators about our efforts, and we joined with state caucus leaders in a Thursday, February 17, press conference condemning the hate-related events.
  • We’ve committed funding to the activities arising from Do UC Us?: We’ve distributed via campus email a weblink for all campus community members to review the “Do UC Us?” report. And, Vice Chancellor – Student Affairs Penny Rue has committed funding to support activities arising from the report’s recommendations and strategies in a campaign to increase African-American enrollments.
  • We’re creating a high level Commission on Climate: Chancellor Fox will appoint and charge a Commission of diverse students, faculty and administrators to continue the progress made in discussions between the senior administration and students. The Commission will work to identify best practices to address campus climate, and members will review existing reports and advice, such as the “Do UC Us? Campaign to Increase Numbers of African-American Students at the University of California, San Diego” report, in developing action plans.
  • We’re continuing our discussions with students: Following the Friday session in the Forum of the Price Center East, we met with Black Student Union leaders and students from other underrepresented groups to identify the steps to make real progress in improving the climate on our campus.
  • We’re seeking advice from community leaders: We are reaching out to political and community and religious organizations in the San Diego African-American community to advise our efforts. This week, we will continue discussions with local leaders, and we are grateful for their wise counsel.
  • We’ve launched aggressive investigations: We strongly believe that activities such as the racially themed party do not reflect our campus community. Chancellor Fox has directed Vice Chancellor Penny Rue to aggressively investigate the incidents for violations of the Student Code of Conduct. The Director of Student Policy and Judicial Affairs, Tony Valladolid, is leading an investigation related to the off campus party, and the UC San Diego Police are investigating the racist message found on campus. We take any racial incident seriously, and are exhaustively investigating the incidents. Violations of the Student Code of Conduct range from expulsion to a letter of censure. Potential sanctions for violations of the Conduct Code may be more severe if the violations are connected with, arise from, or are motivated by bias or hate. Criminal activity will be prosecuted.
  • We’ve stepped up our security to ensure students’ safety: UC San Diego campus police have increased on-campus patrols so that our students feel and are safe. We’re coordinating with San Diego police for additional perimeter patrols.
  • We’re providing support for individual students: Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) counselors are available for personal and confidential conversations with individual students. CAPS professionals offer a wide range of services, and we’re ensuring that students know of the support CAPS can provide.
  • We’re ensuring the well-being of our students: The emotional and physical welfare of our students is paramount. Staff, faculty and administrators across the campus are working to check in with our students. Residence Hall Advisors in the Colleges are meeting with groups of students to hear concerns and provide advice. We are determined to ensure an environment on campus in which all students feel safe and secure and can be successful in their educational experiences.
  • We’ve launched a “Racism: Not in Our Community” campaign to reinforce campus wide the message against racism and hate.
  • Chancellor Marye Anne Fox, all of the Vice Chancellors and College Provosts, and Chief Diversity Officer Sandra Daley have condemned racism on our campus and the despicable incidents of the past week.