Recent Incidents of Intolerance and Hate on UC Campuses

This letter was sent to all UCSB students registered with a umail account. While the Daily Nexus editorial staff issued a staff editorial about ASUCSD President Utsav Gupta’s funding freeze for UC San Diego campus media(viewable here), this letter from Student Affairs leadership tackles the sentiment at the core of the issue.

March 4, 2010

Dear UCSB Student:

As in the lives of individuals, there come significant moments in every community that define what it stands for, what it believes in, what principles it espouses and lives by—moments that define how each and every member of a community should act and should be treated. The UC Santa Barbara community is experiencing one of those moments, one that demands that we take stock of ourselves—what we aspire to be and what we work to be as a community.

It is important to bring this moment into sharper focus with some details of the recent incidents of incivility, intolerance, hate, stupidity, and criminal behavior occurring across the University of California campuses. Among others, these include a racial “theme” party mocking Black History Month that was sponsored by a fraternity at UC San Diego, race baiting comments by some student media there, a rope noose found hanging from a bookshelf in the library, and a Klan-style hood placed on a statue on campus. (more…)

EAB’s Copenhagen Blog

A group of 12 UCSB students are currently in Copenhagen for the UN Climate Change Conference, and they’re blogging about their experiences.

The Associated Students Environmental Affairs Board received $9,800 from student fees to attend the meeting, which runs from Dec. 11-18.  Check out their blog at eabatcop.blogspot.com.

The $9,800 allocation stirred up some controversy when it was first announced; see the Nexus‘ coverage at EAB’s Euro-Trip Leads to Funding Concerns and EAB Chooses Euro Team, and read EAB’s response to the original article, Group Says Euro Trip Article Misses the Point Entirely.

Protesters Attack UC Berkeley Chancellor’s House

UC Berkeley – A group of protesters stormed Chancellor Birgeneau’s home last night, smashing windows and throwing torches in a violent demonstration against fee hikes and budget cuts. The attack ended with eight arrested.

According to a press release, about 40-75 people surrounded the chancellor’s house at 11:15 p.m. The crowd shouted “No justice, no peace,” hurled incendiary objects, scattered garbage and broke windows, planters and lights. No fires or injuries occurred.

The eight individuals – including two students from Cal and one from UC Davis – were arrested and charged with rioting, threatening an education official, attempted burglary, attempted arson of an occupied building, felony vandalism and assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer. (more…)

An I.V. Halloween

While just 25,000 people celebrated Halloween in I.V. this year, those that descended on DP made the most of it. Check out more photos from UCSB’s most debaucherous weekend after the cut. (more…)

UCSB Sex Class Featured in L.A. Times

One of UCSB’s most popular courses – Soc 152A – hit the front page of the Los Angeles Times a few days ago.

The article provides a general overview of the class (Sociology of Human Sexuality) and also offers a nice profile of the professors of the long-running class, married couple John and Janice Baldwin. Precious.

Check it out if you haven’t read it!

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