Protesters take over UCSD chancellor's office (re: Compton Cookout)

See this thread for backstory:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=7801524&mesg_id=7801524



http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/feb/26/noose-protest-ucsd/

Protesters take over UCSD chancellor's office
They are outraged over latest episode, a noose hanging at the library

BY STEVE SCHMIDT, UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 26, 2010 AT 8:34 A.M., UPDATED FEBRUARY 26, 2010 AT 2:23 P.M.


NELVIN C. CEPEDA

UCSD Chancellor Marye Anne Fox addressed students and read from a prepared statement concerning the investigation on a noose that was discovered hanging in the Geisel Library.

Students are protesting atop desks and countertops throughout Fox's suite, except for her own sanctum. They are chanting, "Real pain, real change." Some are playing drums.

Fox has twice addressed students today, once outside the library where a noose was found last night and once in a eucalyptus grove outside her office. Students remain upset with the pace of the administration's response to their demand for action over ongoing racial strife.

"You can't imagine how pained we are, we are heartsick," Vice Chancellor Penny Rue told the students on a bullhorn.

Campus police are questioning a student who admitted she hung the noose on the seventh floor of the university library, on the west side of aisle three, which faces the windows.

"This is truly a dark day in the history of this university," Fox told students gathered earlier along Library Walk. "It's abhorrent and untenable."

The noose was found hanging from a bookcase of the Geisel Library at 10:30 p.m. last night, and the student called at 9 a.m. today to confess, according to vice chancellor Gary Mattews.

"It's someone who didn't think that leaving a noose was an issue," he said.

Authorities are classifying the crime as “hanging a noose with the intent to terrorize.”

At a morning rally, about 300 students and others gathered near the Price Center. Some speakers read poetry, while others made speeches. Many made heartfelt pleas for racial unity and also asked students not to respond in kind....

More at the link

It's been a pressure cooker all week apparently. I am worried for my friend. He said he was going to go check it out. He'll be ok, but I don't want him to get into any fights with counter protesters. He's a passionate guy.

Is he OK?

Protestation is the key to democratic government. I may not always agree on the specifics but always agree on the act of protesting.

UCSD Chancellor Marye Anne Fox

I love those words.

UCSD
CAMPUS NOTICE
University of California, San Diego


UC SAN DIEGO POLICE DEPARTMENT
Crime Alert Bulletin
UPDATE

February 26, 2010


ALL ACADEMICS AND STAFF AT UCSD
ALL STUDENTS AT UCSD


A student contacted the UC San Diego Police Department and admitted to
hanging the noose in the Geisel Library. Detectives have interviewed
the student and taken a statement. The investigation is ongoing as we
continue to identify and interview witnesses. Anyone with information
is asked to contact Detectives by calling 858-534-4357 or emailing
detective@ucsd.edu.

?42b0fb247f69dabe2ae440581a34634cbc5420f3

good on them... 'home of the brave'

Been awhile since protesters took over a college.

Hey fuckwad that hung that noose do you have a brain. Because I just wanted to let you know you are so fucking clever. I know really you are. Nobody else is a cool as you. Normally I deplore violence, but in your case I hope somebody beats the absolute fucking shit out you. Hey maybe somebody will take a picture after they beat you and post it online. That would be so fucking cool.

The one that left the noose that is? She claims that she didn't think it would be such a big deal.

What an ass.

What she needs is a good old fashioned public humiliation. Sometimes that is the only way to correct these kind of problems.

;)

How's it OK for you to advocate violence against someone... yet so wrong for her to simply allude to violence?

IMHO what you're doing is just as wrong as what she did... if not more so, because you're encouraging violence against a specific individual.

I could give two shits what happens to some stupid fucking racist. This person seems to think it's ok to hang a certain group of people. So actually what she is doing is advocating violence. I am merely hoping that natural selection can weed a few sacks of garbage. But thank you for your concern.

I'm glad the students are applying pressure.

..

caveat...not sure if they are referring to the UCSD incidents, the UCBerkely riots or both.
--------------------------------------------------

Statement of UC President Mark G. Yudof, the Chancellors of the ten UC campuses, and the Chair and Vice Chair of the Universitywide Academic Senate
February 26, 2010

As leaders of the University of California, we are deeply disturbed by recent events at a few of our campuses. We condemn all acts of racism, intolerance and incivility. Regardless of how such offenses are rationalized, or what free speech rights they purport to express, the acts we have witnessed are unacceptable. The actions of these individuals reflect neither our principles nor our values, nor the sentiments of the University of California community. We will not allow the actions of a few to speak for this University. We denounce them.

Each of our campuses is committed to promoting and defending a learning environment that values and supports each student, faculty and staff member in an atmosphere that is open, civil, fair, caring and respectful. These values are enshrined in the "Principles of Community" each campus adheres to and that clearly outline our expectations for behavior on our campuses. We expect that all members of our university community, including our visitors, will be respectful of differing views, opinions, experiences, and background.

When violations occur, it is incumbent on us, as leaders and as stewards of free speech on our campuses, to push back. We have a responsibility to speak out against activities that promote intolerance or undermine civil dialogue. As always, the remedy for bad speech is good speech. For that reason, we call on all members of the UC community – students, faculty and staff – to affirm and defend the values of the University of California. We are speaking out and ask that you do the same whenever, wherever and however you confront behavior that violates the principles and values of this University.

Mark G. Yudof
President
University of California Henry Powell
Chair
UC Academic Senate Daniel Simmons
Vice Chair
UC Academic Senate

Robert J. Birgeneau
Chancellor
UC Berkeley Linda P.B. Katehi
Chancellor
UC Davis Michael V. Drake, M.D.
Chancellor
UC Irvine

Gene Block
Chancellor
UC Los Angeles Steve Kang
Chancellor
UC Merced Timothy P. White
Chancellor
UC Riverside

Marye Anne Fox
Chancellor
UC San Diego Susan Desmond-Hellmann
Chancellor
UC San Francisco Henry T. Yang
Chancellor
UC Santa Barbara

George Blumenthal
Chancellor
UC Santa Cruz

+

UCSD
CAMPUS NOTICE
University of California, San Diego



OFFICE OF THE CHANCELLOR

February 26, 2010


ALL ACADEMICS AND STAFF AT UCSD
ALL STUDENTS AT UCSD

SUBJECT: Chancellor's Video Statement Regarding Recent Incidents on
Campus

University of California, San Diego Chancellor Marye Anne Fox has issued
a statement regarding recent hate- and bias-related incidents on campus.

To view the Chancellor's video statement, visit
http://battlehate.ucsd.edu.

A transcript of the Chancellor's video statement follows:

"I strongly condemn the offensive acts of hate and bias that have
occurred over the past days. It is deplorable that while our students,
faculty and staff work to heal the campus, a few misguided individuals
tried to divide it. We are feeling real pain, and we will take real
action. The safety of our students, faculty, and staff is my primary
concern.

"An individual has come forward and admitted responsibility for the
latest incident because of pressure from our UC San Diego community.
This underscores the fact that our university is banding together. We
will not tolerate hate on our campus, and all criminal acts will be
punished. These issues affect all members of our community. We will
not stand for racism and the toxic atmosphere it creates on our campus.

"I have personally met with students today and over the last several
days, and we are making significant changes based on the Black Student
Union's recommendations. I am extremely proud of our students and other
members of our campus community who have strongly and respectfully
expressed their outrage over these incidents. You have shown amazing
strength and I am proud of the moral character that has been
demonstrated through the rallies, forums and demands for change.

"I know this campus community has been deeply hurt. In order to heal
and rebuild, we need to stand together and stand strong for a safe,
peaceful and supportive campus for everyone.

"I pledge to you we will create a campus climate in which students will
know, each and every day, that this university respects them and their
communities."


Marye Anne Fox
Chancellor

Students peacefully leave UC chancellor's office

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/26/AR2010022604263_2.html?sub=AR

By ELLIOT SPAGAT
The Associated Press
Friday, February 26, 2010; 10:03 PM

SAN DIEGO -- An hours-long student takeover of the chancellor's office at the University of California, San Diego, is over.

Dozens of students stormed the office earlier Friday, angry over several recent racially charged campus incidents.

They occupied the office for several hours before leaving peacefully at sundown, about the same time that leaders of the university's Black Student Union ended talks with administrators in a nearby conference room. The students presented a list of 32 demands, including more funding for African-American classes and campus activities.

Student leaders told hundreds of supporters outside the chancellor's office that they were unhappy with the administration's response and would resume talks with school officials on Monday morning.
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University spokesman Jeff Gattas says no arrests were made and no property was damaged during the takeover.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

SAN DIEGO (AP) - Anger boiled over on the University of California San Diego campus Friday, where students took over the chancellor's office to protest the hanging of a noose in a campus library.

Students wearing red handkerchiefs over their faces blocked the doors to Chancellor Marye Anne Fox's offices for hours, while more students inside chanted "Real pain, real change." The students remained inside the office several hours later.

The noose found dangling from a light fixture on the seventh floor of Geisel Library on Thursday night was the latest in a string of racially charged incidents in the university community, authorities said Friday. Less than two weeks ago, an off-campus party mocking Black History Month ignited racial tensions.

A University of California statement said a student admitted she and two other people were responsible. The statement did not identify the students or their race or include a motive.

In a news conference Friday afternoon, Fox said the student has been suspended but declined to discuss her motive or other students involved.

"This person admitted her involvement in what we consider to be an abhorrent act," said Fox.
Hundreds of students rallied for several hours outside the university administration building Friday, where speakers denounced the noose as an example of intolerance on a campus where less than 2 percent of students are black.

UC and campus authorities did not indicate whether the students would be charged with a hate crime. Under state law, hanging a noose to terrorize is punishable by up to a year in jail.

"Whatever the intent of the authors of this act, it was a despicable expression of racial hatred, and we are outraged," the UC statement said. "It has no place in civilized society, and it will not be tolerated."

To blacks, a noose recalls the days of widespread racism and lynchings.

"How am I supposed to walk into that building? How am I ever going to be safe there?" said ethnic studies major Cheyenne Stevens, who is black.

Mustafa Shahryar, 21, said he had seen the noose as he left the library.
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Shahryar, who is from Afghanistan, told the crowd he grew accustomed to racial slurs while growing up in Southern California but was stunned to see the noose.

"Nothing phased me until last night," he said. "I just took that noose as an attack on all of us."

The school has been in turmoil over an off-campus "Compton Cookout" party organized by some students that urged people to dress as ghetto stereotypes and promised there would be chicken, watermelon and malt liquor.

Fox condemned the party, and the school began an investigation to determine if any students might face discipline. The school also initiated a campus-wide "Battle Hate" campaign.

Campus administrators held a "teach-in" against intolerance on Wednesday. The same day, hundreds of students from UCSD and other universities staged a campus protest, demanding that officials make more efforts to combat racism.

Some students countered that the reaction to the party had been overblown. Others accused the campus Black Student Union of using it to push demands for more black professors and funding for ethnic studies.

Last week, the Associated Students president pulled funding from a student-run TV station after The Koala - a campus media outlet with a reputation for being offensive - came out in support of the party, called black students ungrateful and used a derogatory term for African-Americans during a program.