UPDATE [7/11/2025, 6:51 p.m.] The article has been updated to include a joint statement from the UC A.S. Presidents, alongside UCSB A.S. President Le Anh Metzger.
Outgoing University of California President Michael V. Drake announced in a letter to chancellors that student governments are banned from boycotting companies, due to associations with particular countries which would invalidate Boycott, Divestments and Sanctions bills passed by several University of California academic senates.
This decision specifically impacts student governments participating in the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement. Nexus file photo
This announcement comes after a Trump administration directive stating that institutions engaging in Israeli boycotts would not qualify for federal medical and science research grants. According to Drake’s letter, University of California (UC) policies require that financial decisions be grounded in “sound business practices,” and that boycotting companies based on their association with particular countries “would not align with these sound business practices.”
“While our community members have the right to express their viewpoints, financial boycotts are inconsistent with UC’s commitment to sound business practices, academic freedom and the free exchange of ideas,” a statement sent alongside the letter read.
While the boycott ban applies to protests regarding any nation, the letter was released following the United States Department of Health and Human Services and the National Science Foundation announcing to grantees that federal funds were at stake due to anti-Israel actions.
This decision specifically impacts student governments participating in the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. Last year, the UC Santa Barbara Associated Students (A.S.) 75th Senate passed a bill prohibiting A.S. funds from being used to purchase from companies on the BDS list.
An A.S. resolution to divest had previously failed to pass four times since it was first proposed in 2013. By 2015, eight other UC campus student governments had voted to divest.
UC campuses also voted to divest from business ties in South Africa during the 1970s, with UCSB being the last campus to vote in 1978. The UC Board of Regents voted to divest from the corporations in 1986.
In a email statement to the Nexus, UCSB Students Supporting Israel (SSI) said they believe boycott movements such as BDS “have no place on campus” as they “facilitate hate and take away from positive and effective discussion.”
“The previous Senate’s attempt at a BDS bill was inherently discriminatory, and even hoped to financially penalize students who chose not to participate. Not only did this violate the viewpoint neutrality clauses in place for our student fees, but many Israeli companies on the boycott list were suppliers of Kosher food which many Jewish students have relied on,” the statement read. “SSI is an apolitical organization, however a federal ban of boycott movements goes to show how harmful and antisemitic these movements have become across UC campuses and the United States.”
UCSB Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) did not respond to requests for comment.
A.S. Presidents across the UCs released a joint statement directed to the Board of Regents, UC Chancellors and the UC System Student Body on July 9 condemning the administration for a lack of communication, stating that they had only become aware of the ban from an LA Times article. The statement continued by addressing that while they don’t want to put funding at risk, the decision was “a stand against their student bodies’ freedom of speech,” and is a “dangerous precedent” which will limit the progress “our university system is known for.”
The joint statement concluded by urging incoming UC President James B Milliken to “protect students and their interests before catering to a federal administration that is intent on causing us harm,” as well as calling on the UC Regents and administrators to “fight against federal pressures.”
UCSB A.S. President and third-year global studies, communication and Spanish triple major Le Anh Metzger said in an individual statement that student governments were created to “amplify the voice of our student population,” and that restrictions on financial freedom raise concerns regarding the independence and freedom of speech of student governments.
“Students entrust us to act as their advocates and at no point in time should the University–the institution where we are taught the importance of protests, activism, and freedom of speech–make that harder,” the statement read.
UCSB media spokesperson Kiki Reyes said in a statement to the Nexus that UC has “strongly and consistently” opposed the calls for boycotts and divestments from Israel, clarifying that this has been a longstanding position of the UC Office of the President and chancellors of “every campus.”
“The university stands firm in the conviction that a boycott and resolution of this kind poses a direct and serious threat to the academic freedom of our students and faculty and to the unfettered exchange of ideas and perspectives on our campuses,” the statement read.
It is established history that U.S. President Woodrow Wilson was blackmailed by Zionists to enter WWI after Zionists assured the United Kingdom of U.S. entry into the war in exchange for the Balfour Declaration. A preponderance of evidence indicates that 9-11 was a Zionist job. A preponderance of evidence in addition to eye-witness crew testimony and testimony of Israeli pilots who participated indicates that the murderous false-flag attack on the USS Liberty was an unprovoked and intentional Zionist attack. A growing preponderance of evidence indicates that President John F. Kennedy was murdered by Zionists for opposing Zionist acquisition of nuclear… Read more »
You are one sick Nazi.
Actually, Nazis supported Zionists. Zionists were trying to get German Jews to self deport to Palestine, something Nazis fully encouraged.
Also, I don’t think you understand the difference between a Zionist and a Jew. Not all Jews are Zionists and not all Zionists are Jews. Judaism is a religious ethnic group; Zionism is an evil political movement.
I am an anti-Zionist, not an anti-Semite. The best anti-Zionists are anti-Zionist Jews. The worst Jews are Zionist Jews like the new UCSB Chancellor, David Marshall.
You have weak mind. I suspect you’re a UCSB graduate..
That is one bizarre conspiracy theory.
It’s not a theory dude. Do some research. You’re going to have to dig.
Stop being a slave. Zionist Realism controls you.
Be a good boy. Don’t nonviolently break one UCSB Mafia window demanding the long-overdue and still-imperative Independent 9-11 Investigation.
I guess we should thank you for so openly demonstrating that you are a Jew-hating, conspiracy theorist crackpot. It’s the same old canard-“Jews are responsible for everything.” It is long overdue, but we finally have a president who, no matter what you think of him, cares about the issue of anti-Semitism, including in our universities. When you hear people screaming about Zionists, that’s code for Jews. I taught part-time at UC Irvine from 1998-2026, and this gentile can testify to the downright anti-Semitism that exists on our college campus masquerading as concern for Palestinians. I can only pray that today’s… Read more »
Many don’t understand the difference between a Zionist and a Jew. Zionists go to great lengths trying to equate Zionism with Judaism to better enable them to hide behind Jews. It allows them to reflexively charge antisemitism against any anti-Zionist attack or criticism of Israel or Zionism. Palestinians cheered 9-11 when convinced it was an Arab job but kept silent when a preponderance of evidence indicated it was a Zionist job. Palestinians have extremely poor leadership but there also seems to be much more to the conflict between Israel and Palestinians to which we are not privy. If I were… Read more »
He was arrested for threatening campus and banned for many years from contacting or even posting here GOOGLE NEIL BAKER
Yes, I was falsely arrested for threatening my former employer, UCSB Mafia, where I was unfairly and unjustly terminated after blowing the whistle on their criminal hiring practices (illegal background checks, illegal interview questions, discriminating against better-qualified American Citizens to hire foreign nationals from communist China) and enduring a hostile work environment caused by a brain-damaged (confirmed by MRI) hostile coworker that finally cost me my job after four years. The hostile work environment actually preexisted my hire and continued after my termination. The campus was locked down. UCSB Mafia even put up “WANTED” posters around campus with my photo… Read more »
You are back!! Are you allowed on campus? No probably not- surprised you havent gotten yourself in trouble again yet. Please stay away from campus and everything connected to it. What a horrible person you are.
If you dont know Neil he has been a shit stain on UCSB for many many years that refuses to go away. 15 years and he is still harassing UCSB
Kennewick man arrested for allegedly threatening UCSB | News | nbcrightnow.com
I’ve been formally declared Persona Non Grata by unaccountable criminal UCSB Mafia. I wear it as a badge of honor since the only other person I know to have been declared Persona Non Grata was one of my heroes, Hugo Eckener, who was declared Persona Non Grata by the Nazis.
Until I’m named the next Chancellor of UCSB, I won’t be returning.
You remind me that after bogus charges pressed by unaccountable UCSB Mafia were dismissed, they harassed me and surveilled me 24/7 for about 18 months at an estimated cost of a $1.5 million.
The bogus charges that resulted in you being a felon?
You are a criminal spent time in a mental inst only not enough time
We should all immediately boycott the FoxNews watching republitard idoits. They drive around all day in there big diesel trucks emitting carbon monoxide, which is the number one greenhouse gas…but those stupid rednecks wouldn’t care. We must all show that we are intellugent and elect democrats so that we can save the world before it is to late.
Neil Baker is a criminal who was previously banned from campus
Ex-UCSB Employee Neil Baker Sentenced to Probation, Residential Treatment in Campus Vandalism | Local News | Noozhawk
Posting anonymously is a sure sign of cowardice.
Yes im scared of a felonious crazy person who made campus threats and has a history of violence and mental issues. Who now espouses antiemetic and crazy ramblings. Its not cowardice its being smart and prudent. You are the type to attack people so ill stay far removed.