The president of the University of California system — responding to criticisms about the large protests held last spring on several campuses around the state, including at UC San Diego — has set expectations about what will and won't be allowed at the universities moving forward.
Fall quarter begins Sept. 23 at UC San Diego, and the goal is that when students arrive, they’ll know exactly what they can and cannot do when it comes to demonstrating on campus.
On May 6, after several warnings from the UC San Diego's chancellor , a large group of pro-Palestinian supporters camping out alongside Library Walk was forced out by law enforcement. Sixty-four people were arrested, 40 of them students, according to school officials. At times, the protesters and law enforcement clashed. Afterward, some protestors said they were beaten with batons and pepper-sprayed.
Spring Protests at UC San Diego
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Similar scenes played out at other UC campuses, prompting criticism from some regents, faculty, legislators and others, and calls were made for consistent enforcement of campus rules regarding protests.
According to the Los Angeles Times, University of California president Michael Drake has directed the chancellors of all 10 UC campuses to clearly communicate — and enforce — existing policies on encampments, protests that block pathways, and masking when it’s used to hide a protestor’s face.
The UC president also addressed the campus community. On Monday, Drake sent out a letter laying out some of the steps being taken by his office across the UC system to “ensure a safe, inclusive campus climate that fosters a free exchange of ideas." Drake said the “ultimate goal is for all of their community members to feel supported in their ability to express themselves, and to pursue their studies, research, patient care and other work on their campuses.”
The full text of the letter is below:
Dear UC community,
As the 2024-25 academic year begins on our campuses over the next few days and weeks, I want to share a few updates about our work this summer to ensure a safe, inclusive campus climate that fosters a free exchange of ideas across the University of California.
Freedom to express diverse viewpoints is fundamental to the mission of the University, and lawful protests play a pivotal role in that process. The Free Speech Movement was born at the University of California. We are proud to uphold that tradition today. We make every effort to nurture free expression, and we provide countless opportunities and venues for our students, faculty, other academic appointees, and staff to safely and lawfully share their diverse viewpoints and beliefs. While the vast majority of protests held on our campuses are peaceful and nonviolent, some of the activities we saw this past year were not.
My office and campus leaders have spent the summer reflecting with students, faculty, staff, Regents, and others on the events of the past year. We have sought to identify ways we can strengthen and clarify our policies and procedures together. Clear communication and consistent application of policies and laws are key to achieving the delicate but essential balance between free speech rights and the need to protect the safety of our community and maintain critical University operations.
With these goals in mind, we will take several steps to facilitate more consistency across our locations, including:
• Clarifying and reinforcing requirements for policies impacting expressive activities, including policies that prohibit camping or encampments, unauthorized structures, restrictions on free movement, masking to conceal identity, and refusing to reveal one’s identity when asked to do so by University personnel
• Developing a framework for consistent implementation of our policies and for consistent responses to policy violations
• Issuing guidance for notifications about campus climate resources and policies, in response to the California State Budget Bill
• Launching a UC Campus Climate Initiative to help all UC locations develop campus climate action plans for fall 2024 and beyond
Some of this work has already begun, and you will hear more about it from your campus leadership in the coming weeks. Our ultimate goal is for all of our community members to feel supported in their ability to express themselves, and to pursue their studies, research, patient care, and other work on our campuses. We also want our community members to understand what’s expected of them, including a clear understanding of the principles, policies, and laws that govern our behavior on campus.
We appreciate the input we’ve received from our students, faculty, and staff representatives and many others on these issues — it has informed our approach and will help us achieve an even more inclusive, engaged, and productive UC community. Thank you in advance for your participation in this effort, and we wish you an outstanding academic year.
Sincerely,
Michael V. Drake, M.D.
President, University of California
