Commentaries

CC:       Arvind Rajaraman, Chair
             Academic Senate, Irvine Division
             Valerie Jenness, Chair Elect
             Academic Senate, Irvine Division
             James Steintrager, Chair
             UC Academic Council

Date:    May 21, 2024  

Dear Chancellor Gillman, 

In a confidential vote on May 20, 2024, the faculty of the UCI Department of Anthropology unanimously voted (20 in favor, 0 opposed, 0 abstain, Chair and Dean did not vote) in support of the call issued by the Department of African American Studies and members of the Black Faculty and Staff Association that was made in their statement to you dated May 16, 2024. 

We echo their bold and productive steps towards justice and healing. As the Senate faculty members in the Department of Anthropology, we similarly call upon you:

1)       To issue an apology to our campus for the militarized police presence that you authorized;

2)       To end all disciplinary action and guarantee no retaliation and no sanctions against any of the faculty, staff, or students participating in the peaceful protests against genocide;

3)       To rescind the interim suspensions previously issued against members of the university effective immediately;

4)       To offer free legal assistance to all members of campus who were subjected to arrest and detention; and

5)       To pursue a credible, independent investigation of police and University Administration’s response to civil disobedience and of the subsequent arrests of university members consistent with recommendations of the Robinson-Edley Report (2012).

 

Respectfully,

The Senate Faculty of the UCI Department of Anthropology
(20 in favor, 0 opposed, 0 abstain, Chair and Dean did not vote)

3151 Social Science Plaza
Irvine, CA 92697-5100



https://www.anthropology.uci.edu