The UC Office of the President (UCOP) today announced its intention to strengthen campus activism policies that prohibit tent encampments in two letters from UC President Michael Drake.
Drake outlined several UC system-wide steps to clarify current free speech and protest policies, including creating a framework to ensure consistent implementation of existing policies across all UC campuses.
Existing policies for campus protests include Senate Bill 108, which contains nine provisions regarding the time, place and manner of protests on campus. The bill prohibits, among other things, blocking traffic on or off campus property and disrupting university activities.
In his open letter to the UC community, Drake cited the university’s tradition of protecting free speech, but also pointed to recent protests on campus, which he said were not about peaceful and non-violent practices.
This letter stressed that clarity in university policies “The key to achieving the delicate but essential balance between the right to free expression and the need to protect the safety of our community and maintain critical university operations.”Drake also pointed to existing camping bans, movement restrictions and the concealment of identity on the UC campus.
In his letter to UC chancellors, Drake called on each campus to compile a single document or website detailing existing policies related to campus protests and to make those resources available to the campus community before the upcoming academic year.He noted that these policies should specifically prohibit the establishment of camps on university property without prior campus approval, as well as “unauthorized construction” on the UC campus.
The letter also called for policies to prohibit the wearing of masks or personal disguises “with the intent to intimidate any person or group” or “to evade detection, recognition or identification.”
Drake’s letters come after the California State Legislature announced that it is holding back of $25 million in state funding from the UC system until UCOP develops a “systemwide framework” for enforcing free speech regulations on all UC campuses. The deadline for UCOP to submit a report to lawmakers is October 1.
Alumni UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol Christ had already expressed support last spring for students’ right to protest at the Free Palestine camp on campus, as long as they remained peaceful, citing ongoing conversations with protesters at a “Campus Conversations” event toward the end of her term last May.
“I believe that people have the right to protest, even if the protest violates some of our time, place and behavior rules,” Christ said last May. “Camping overnight on campus is not allowed. But it has been largely peaceful and has not disrupted our operations. Therefore, my position – as long as it remains peaceful and does not become the scene of pervasive harassment of others – is to let the protest continue.”
The warehouse ended peacefully Mid-May after negotiations with Christ.
The current Chancellor of UC Berkeley, Richard Lyons, published a Video statement today, he addressed President Drake’s instructions. Lyons emphasized that existing rules regarding time, place and etiquette will continue to be observed on campus while at the same time free speech remains steadfastly protected.
Campus declined to comment further on Drake’s letters at this time.
This is a developing story. Check back later for updates.
