UC president's response to the Davis and Cal police violence

[usernamenumber]

...presented here without further comment.

edit It's been pointed out to me in other channels that "without further comment" often implies an unspoken opinion that the writer feels is evident enough to not require voicing. In this case it just means "I am signal boosting this and don't have time for more than cut/paste". Short version of my opinion: I'm livid every time I watch the UCD video. I doubt anything that satisfies me, like some sane, consistent, and enforced rules about appropriate uses of force will come of this, but I have just enough faith in my university to hope otherwise.

"""
Dear University of California Supporter,

I'd like to share with you two messages from University of California President Mark G. Yudof in response to the recent events on some UC campuses. I believe it is important that you and other members of the UC family be informed about how the University is responding to the issues raised by these events.

The first message is the President’s immediate response issued yesterday (Nov. 20th), to an incident which occurred on the UC Davis campus Friday.

The second is an update released today on the developments that have taken place in the last few hours.

In addition to President Yudof’s statements, a message from the Chair of the UC Regents, Sherry Lansing, is also available at this link: http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/article/26709

Clearly, these are challenging times for our state, our students and our entire university community. We will continue to keep you apprised of developments as they occur. In the meantime, and on behalf of President Yudof, I thank you for your continued support for the University of California.

Sincerely,

Steve Juarez
Associate Vice President
State Governmental Relations
UC Office of the President

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 20, 2011
To view online: http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/article/26702

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sunday, Nov. 20, 2011
UC Office of the President

President Yudof acts in response to campus protest issues

University of California President Mark G. Yudof today (Sunday, Nov. 20) announced the actions he is taking in response to recent campus protest issues:

I am appalled by images of University of California students being doused with pepper spray and jabbed with police batons on our campuses.

I intend to do everything in my power as President of this university to protect the rights of our students, faculty and staff to engage in non-violent protest.

Chancellors at the UC Davis and UC Berkeley campuses already have initiated reviews of incidents that occurred on their campuses. I applaud this rapid response and eagerly await the results.

The University of California, however, is a single university with 10 campuses, and the incidents in recent days cry out for a system-wide response.

Therefore I will be taking immediate steps to set that response in motion.

I intend to convene all 10 chancellors, either in person or by telephone, to engage in a full and unfettered discussion about how to ensure proportional law enforcement response to non-violent protest.

To that end, I will be asking the Chancellors to forward to me at once all relevant protocols and policies already in place on their individual campuses, as well as those that apply to the engagement of non-campus police agencies through mutual aid agreements.

Further, I already have taken steps to assemble experts and stake-holders to conduct a thorough, far-reaching and urgent assessment of campus police procedures involving use of force, including post-incident review processes.

My intention is not to micromanage our campus police forces. The sworn officers who serve on our campuses are professionals dedicated to the protection of the UC community.

Nor do I wish to micromanage the chancellors. They are the leaders of our campuses and they have my full trust and confidence.

Nonetheless, the recent incidents make clear the time has come to take strong action to recommit to the ideal of peaceful protest.

As I have said before, free speech is part of the DNA of this university, and non-violent protest has long been central to our history. It is a value we must protect with vigilance. I implore students who wish to demonstrate to do so in a peaceful and lawful fashion. I expect campus authorities to honor that right.



MONDAY NOVEMBER 21, 2011
To view online: http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/article/26708

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, Nov. 21, 2011
University of California Office of the President

In meeting with chancellors, President Yudof outlines actions on several fronts

University of California President Mark G. Yudof convened the chancellors of all 10 campuses today (Monday, Nov. 21) and asserted that they must do everything possible to protect the rights of students, faculty and staff to peaceful protest.

He reiterated that he was appalled by the images of students being doused with pepper spray at UC Davis and jabbed with batons at UC Berkeley. “We cannot let this happen again,” he said.

During a teleconference, Yudof told the chancellors he had directed senior UCOP staff to move immediately on several fronts to:

Examine recent incidents involving use of force on UC campuses.
Organize a thorough examination of police procedures, protocols and training.
Put in place a structure to assemble recommendations for longer-term practices to ensure the safety of members of the UC community engaged in peaceful protest.

While expressing his confidence in the leadership of UC chancellors, he said he was directing senior staff to work with all of the campus police chiefs to bring together policies governing use of force at each of the locations, as well as requirements for the presence of senior administrators and observers in certain situations.

Further details about plans for the systemwide reviews of specific incidents of use of force and current protocols are expected to be shared with the public this week.
"""

Comments

[aries-walker.livejournal.com]

I get tired of guilty parties convening full investigations, putting together task forces, and organizing thorough examinations of blah blah blah. How about simply firing the cops that did it and the commander that ordered it? That would be a good start.

+1

[contradictacat.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I agree- also, while I understand that the chancellors do need to explain themselves, I can't help but think that, as administrators themselves, they are more likely to see it from the chancellors' point of view (and be sympathetic) than from an outsider's or student's. So I'm not sure how effective "full investigations", "putting together task forces" and all of that will actually be.

Re: +1

[usernamenumber.livejournal.com]

I'm dubious as well, though I am somewhat heartened by him at least having the guts to say straight up "we cannot let this happen again" (giving him the benefit of the doubt re actually caring about the misconduct, not just the ensuing PR disaster).

Mostly the "without further comment" wasn't intended as implied approval, just an interest in putting it out there on a morning when I didn't have time to editorialize.

[preraphaelite.livejournal.com]

How do you know the commander ordered it? How do you know what training the cops went through, and what changes need to happen, how high up the chain?

Bureaucracy is a pain, yeah, but "I know who is guilty so we should just punish them" smacks of not really wanting to look into the situation carefully. I think full investigations are a good idea when you want to know the facts, and... you should always want to know the facts.

Also, there are probably union rules at work here that restrict the UC ability to "simply fire."

[usernamenumber.livejournal.com]

I think you make a very good point here, but sadly I also think fatigue in response to the phrase "we are launching a full investigation" is understandable. It's something one often hears in the context of "after a full investigation (of ourselves), we have concluded that we did no wrong". :(

[weasel2000.livejournal.com]

OH! But I am willing to bet that the campus police are unionized and that there are procedures and such that have to be gone through...most likely, nothing will happen...