UC Santa Barbara announced the University of California’s first Systemwide Office of Civil Rights, a new anti-discrimination policy and responded to recent campus “antisemitic incidents,” among other announcements, in a mass email to the campus community at 5:38 p.m. on Feb. 28. 

The email — signed by Chancellor Henry T. Yang, Executive Vice Chancellor David Marshall, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Margaret Klawunn and Interim Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Jeffrey Stewart — acknowledged recent antisemitic incidents on campus “targeting Jewish students with hateful signs and messages.” 

The email reminded the campus community of various resources to combat discrimination and incidents with identity-based bias. Nexus File Photo

These reprehensible incidents are currently under investigation, but as a campus, we must be clear that antisemitism and discrimination of any kind, including any efforts to intimidate, harass, or discriminate against members of our community, will not be tolerated,” the email read. 

The Systemwide Office of Civil Rights is composed of the existing Systemwide Title IX Office, a new Systemwide Anti-Discrimination Office and a new Systemwide Disability Rights Office. The office will provide “systemwide guidance and support on issues related to protecting civil rights” across the 10 UC campuses, medical centers, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the UC Office of the President. 

“We ensure uniform interpretation and implementation of comprehensive and consistent UC policies and provide leadership, training, education, and investigative support for UC offices responsible for protecting all civil rights,” the office’s description read

Wednesday night’s email reiterated UC President Michael V. Drake’s announcement of one-time funding “to help UC campuses address and combat antisemitism, Islamophobia, and other forms of bias, bigotry, and discrimination at the University.” The funding aims to bring emergency mental health and trauma support for the campus community, extracurricular educational programming and training.

“We are consulting widely about these programs and we will be in touch as plans are developed,” the email read. 

The email reminded the campus community of various resources to combat discrimination and incidents with identity-based bias: The resources include the UC Presidential Policy on Anti-Discrimination, information on reporting bias incidents, the Academic & Staff Assistance Program, the Ombuds Office and the UC Ethics & Compliance Program for faculty and staff reporting. 

“UC Santa Barbara stands united against antisemitism, anti-Arab and Islamophobic discrimination, anti-Blackness, racism, hate speech, and other forms of intimidation, both on our campus and beyond,” the email read. “Please help us sustain a respectful, supportive, safe, and welcoming campus climate for everyone.”

Print

Asumi Shuda
Asumi Shuda (they/them) is the Lead News Editor for the 2023-24 school year. Previously, Shuda was the Deputy News Editor, Community Outreach News Editor for the 2022-23 school year and the 2021-22 school year and an Assistant News Editor during the 2020-21 school year. They can be reached at asumishuda@dailynexus.com or news@dailynexus.com.