Wanted - input on voting for resolutions for the #UCDavis Academic Senate #OccupyUCDavis

Well today I am finally getting around to voting on some UC Davis Academic Senate resolutions relating to the Occupy UC Davis pepper spray incident.  For those not familiar with this - first - I offer you my undying love - second - here are some of my previous posts on the theme:

I wrote a lot about the pepper spray incident here and on twitter - I felt in many ways like I had to report on what was going on for the outside world.  Here are some of my key posts:

• 11/19 A day of almost pure joy in #DavisCA and at #UCDavis, until ... #OccupyUCDavis
• 11/20 My accidental encounter with the #OccupyUCDavis crowd at #UCDavis #impressed
• 11/22 An exhausting and exhilarating day at the #OccupyUCDavis rally
• 11/23 Reporting from #UCDavis Town Hall meeting re: #OccupyUCDavis
• 11/23 Should #UCDavis faculty "walkout" from teaching to "support" students? I do not think so
• 11/25 Email from #OccupyUCDavis to #UCDavis faculty - Call for a General Strike
• 11/28 Just another Monday at #UCDavis: contentious UC regents meeting, a strike (sort of) & some occupying #OccupyUCDavis #OUCD
• 11/29 Town Hall #2 - Chancellor Katehi meets w/ Faculty/Staff; Katehi receives much support
• 12/1: Top 10 reasons to still consider attending #UCDavis #OccupyUCDavis

And then Winter break happened and things calmed down a bit at UC Davis.  Plus, I got busy and needed to go back to running my lab and doing some work.  Not that nothing happened during this time.  Lots did in fact.  The best place to find out about what happened is the Davis Enterprise which continued coverage of everything going on (see list on the right side of this page).

Catching up to today - now the issue (for me and other faculty/members of the Academic Senate) is that we have to vote on some resolutions regarding the pepper spray incident.

Below are the three for which I am supposed to vote.  I am asking anyone out there for input on these.  All of them seem pretty, well, lame to me and I am inclined to vote no on all of them.  But I am reserving judgement and looking for feedback from others out there.  Any comments / suggestions welcome.

Letter from Justice Cruz Reynoso to President Yudof regarding pepper spray investigation at #UCDavis

Just got this in email and thought it would be good to share

The text reads:

UC Davis Chancellor putting increased emphasis on communications

Just got this email announcement and I thought I would share.  As many know, in the aftermath of the pepper spray incident, whether you support the UC Davis Chancellor or not, it was pretty clear that communications regarding the incident were, well, poor at best.  Hopefully this will improve things.  Of course, action is more important than communication --- but I am glad to see the Chancellor responding to communication issues ---

Dear Colleagues, 
  
I write to inform you about additional actions that I am taking immediately to strengthen Strategic Communications. These steps will help us address needs and challenges facing UC Davis today while preparing us to take advantage of opportunities that lie ahead. 

Email regarding UC Davis Academic Senate Special Committee re: Pepper Spray

Posting for anyone interested (email from Linda Bisson - Chair of UC Davis Academic Senate)


Dear Colleagues:

There was an issue with the set up of the email address for the Special Committee that has now been corrected by IT. If you sent an email to the committee prior to Wednesday December 21st,  we request that you send it again. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Linda

His fees are hella high - perspective from a #UCDavis student #OccupyUCDavis

Perspective from a UC Davis student

 

Top 10 reasons to still consider attending #UCDavis #OccupyUCDavis

I am sure I will get in trouble for this but here goes ...

---

Top 10 reasons to still consider attending UC Davis

1. Performance art spreading throughout campus

2. Chancellor will be doing student laundry for next five years

3. Buy a van with a satellite dish, get free parking anywhere on campus

4. Work study program has many alternative career paths including sign makers, tent cleaning, socialism club treasurer, etc. 

5. Our logo found on more artwork than any school in country

6. Free housing in the quad

7. Students determine which professors get tenure

8. Police nowhere to be found, even for huge parties

9. New majors in "Crisis Mismanagement" and "Silent Movie Making"

10.  Like a building - it is yours.

Town Hall #2 - Chancellor Katehi meets w/ Faculty/Staff; Katehi receives much support

Quick post regarding the Town Hall meeting at UC Davis between the administration and faculty and staff.  I am going to tell it through pictures and twitter posts (mostly mine, with a few responses).  Will really try to write up a more essayish post ASAP.  I tried to match pictures to comments but some may be mismatched - please forgive me.  

If you want the punch line - it is pretty simple - lots and lots of support for Chancellor Katehi from faculty at staff with a few dissenting points of view.  Very few argued for the need for resignation (I think Nathan Brown was the only one but I may be wrong - Josh Clover and possibly others may have also said something along these lines).  And most said something positive about Katehi although most of the positive things were about how good a Chancellor people think she has been not about her handling of this incident and its aftermath.  Anyway - here are some pics and tweets ... Also note I tried to record a few videos here and there and for some reason the only two that came out well were of two of the biggest critics of Katehi - Clover and Brown.  I am including those vids though if you only look at the vids you will get a mistaken impression regarding the amount of criticism vs. support for Katehi. 

Once again - banners are not allowed.  WTF?

phylogenomics The Tree of Life: Faculty and staff arriving for Town Hall meeting with Chamcellor http://t.co/1cjHtgML 11/29/11 4:09 PM

michaelhoffman @phylogenomics Why is the sign partially covered? 11/29/11 4:34 PM

Letter to UC Davis Faculty from Academic Senate Chair Linda Bisson Regarding Pepper Spray Incident #OccupyUCDavis

Below is an email letter I just received from Linda Bisson the Chair of the UC Davis Academic Senate and I thought it might be of interest.  It contains many details regarding the pepper spray incident and response(s) that I have not seen described anywhere else.

-------------------------
Dear Colleagues:

Many of you have asked me to issue a preliminary assessment of the events occurring on November 18, 2011, and to describe the actions taken to date by me and Executive Council. I know I have asked extraordinary patience of you while I undertake the job that I was appointed to do as your Chair of the Davis Division of the Academic Senate. As a scientist it is not in my nature to get ahead of the data; as a faculty member I put the students first. When I saw the first video of the brutality on the quad I felt as if I had been stabbed in the heart, a feeling I know the majority of you share.

Just another Monday at #UCDavis: contentious UC regents meeting, a strike (sort of) & some occupying #OccupyUCDavis #OUCD

The Prelude

Well, today was interesting at UC Davis (and I note - it is only 5:15 PM as I start to write this).  Two major related events were happening on campus today.  First, there was a meeting of the UC Regents that had a presence on campus (more on this in a bit).  Second, partly in response to the Regents meeting, there was a call for a "Strike" by UC Davis students as well as "sympathy" events planned at all other UC Campuses (Cory Golden in the Davis Enterprise has a good summary of these two related events here).  I note, I am adding links to my posts about the various events for those interested.  I know this is a bit self centered but I think it may help explain my thinking on the various issues.

The momentum for the strike came from a rally on the UC Davis quad last Monday (see my post about that here: An exhausting and exhilarating day at the #OccupyUCDavis rally).  On that day there was enormous amount of passion to rise up and do something in response to the pepper spraying incident of last Friday (see my post about that day here: A day of almost pure joy in #DavisCA and at #UCDavis, until ... #OccupyUCDavis).  1000s of people were there and though the Chancellor of UC Davis Linda Katehi talked, she did not assuage the crowd much if at all.  Then there was a General Assembly of sorts, out in the quad, where a vote was taken to hold a "strike" on Monday the 28th (i.e., today).  Some of the passion clearly came from the pepper spraying incident itself, some of it came from ongoing frustration with financial issues (e.g., tuition hikes) and some of it came from dismay and/or disappointment at the UC Davis administrations role in the incident as well as their response (e.g., the Saturday Press Conference did not go so well: My accidental encounter with the #OccupyUCDavis crowd at #UCDavis #impressed).  And one thing that happened that day was the "re-occupation" of the UC Davis Quad - this time with more tents, a geodesic dome, and many people.

Crowd outside regents meeting #occupyucdavis

More signs showing up at #ucdavis portion of regents meeting #occupyucdavis

Brilliant someone brought a banner - against the rules but should have been allowed #occupyucdavis

Ucdavis folks speaking at Regents meeting #occupyucdavis

At the #ucdavis ARC where people are listening to regents meeting - only minor protests #occupyucdavis

Some sort of bike accident at #ucdavis outside regents meeting

UC Davis News Release: "A Day of Civil Discourse & Peaceful Expression" - except when not allowed #Uggh #OccupyUCDavis

According to UC Davis news release (UC Davis News & Information :: Dateline :: UC Davis to host regents, "teach-ins")

"UC Davis is preparing for a day of civil discourse and peaceful expression, as the campus hosts members of the University of California Board of Regents and faculty and students organize “teach-ins” on public disinvestment in higher education, the Occupy movement and other topics." 

Yes, civil discourse and peaceful expression.  Should be an interesting day on campus.  More on this later from me.  But one thing about this news release really irks me.  It says 

"If you’re planning to attend the UC Davis portion of the audioconference, please be prepared for a search of backpacks – and don’t bring banners or bottled water, which will not be allowed in the ARC ballroom."

So let me get this straight.  A day of civil discourse and peaceful expression.  And also a day for the regents to discuss such issues.  But don't bring banners, because that would be bad why?

UC Davis Academic Committee on Academic Freedom and Responsibility Statement re #OccupyUCDavis

Just got this email and it seems worth sharing


Dear Colleagues,


On Friday we sent all of you a link to the Faculty Code of Conduct that includes on page three a statement of academic freedom rights. The Davis Division of the Academic Senate Committee on Academic Freedom and Responsibility unanimously voted to issue the following statement:


"The UC Davis Academic Senate Committee on Academic Freedom and Responsibility (CAFR) condemns violence as well as directives and policies that are likely to lead to it.  The role of a university in society is to serve as a beacon of compassion and tolerance to foster thoughtful discourse. Academic freedom is the pilot light protecting knowledge production and should protect all members of the university engaged in civil discourse without fear or threat of coercive retaliation or physical harm.  In light of an emerging pattern of policies and behaviors counter to these principles, we call on all University of California administrators to undergo training in the importance of academic freedom and how to protect and foster it against financial, political, and social pressures. We also plan to review recent events in order to assess to what degree academic freedom rights were violated and to make policy recommendations to safeguard academic freedom at University of California campuses. - unanimously agreed by CAFR members"




Linda F. Bisson
Chair, Davis Division of the Academic Senate
Professor, Viticulture and Enology

Email from #OccupyUCDavis to #UCDavis faculty - Call for a General Strike

Just got this email about the call for a General Strike apparently from OccupyUCDavis folks. It was from someone I do not know named Eric Lee. Not sure if he is a UC Davis student or not.

Dear UC Davis Faculty Member,

On behalf of the 99.5% of students, faculty, and workers who voted in favor of a General Strike to be held this coming Monday, November 28th, we are asking that you cancel your scheduled classes or hold your class on the quad this coming Monday in solidarity with your fellow community members against the terrible acts of police brutality committed this past week on our campus.

Our call for a walk-out lies on a series of undeniable principles of equality and democracy that we all share:

1) The right to peacefully redress government for grievances of social inequality under the first amendment

2) The right to not be brutally beaten for exercising these rights

3) Teachers, TAs, professors, faculty, and staff have the right to tenure and a fair wage

4) Education is a social right and fee-increases and budget cuts are unnecessary given the obscene plundering of the economy by the richest Americans over the past years

5) The fight for education is synonymous with the fight for equality in all social realms: housing, food, healthcare, transportation, energy, etc.

6) The US Government’s prioritization of war and tax cuts for the rich above social services for working Americans is unjust and should be reversed

This is a call to join the walkout against police brutality and social inequality. We are making space and facilities (white boards, etc.) available for all who are interested in holding class on the quad. Any special requests by teachers and faculty will be accommodated to the best of our ability.

Please respond to this email letting us know which of the three options you will be choosing:

a) I plan to cancel all classes Monday

b) I plan to hold classes in the quad Monday

c) I do not plan to cancel classes and I do not support the fight for public education

Please let us know of your plans ASAP.

Thank you for your cooperation!

-Occupy UC Davis
- - -
Note: A link to the General Strike proposal can be found here:
http://reclaimuc.blogspot.com/2011/11/uc-davis-strike-call.html

Not sure how I feel about much of what is in this message (actually - messages since there is a lot of stuff in here). I note - I am not a fan of their request for responses where the only no option is "I do not plan to cancel classes and I do not support the fight for public education". Well, as I have said here, I am not sure how I feel about the plan for cancel classes but I strongly support public education. I note I am a big supporter of many parts of the OccupyUCDavis movement that I have seen. But the tone here suggests that if you are not with them on this, then you are against them. I don't like that style since I thought I was one of them in some ways. In addition, the vote that was held (if he is referring to the vote at the Assembly Monday) did not include faculty or workers as far as I know since I thought it was a student vote. At least, that is what people told me when I was there - I would have voted actually - but was told it was a student vote.

I note - as of 30 minutes ago I was planning on doing a teach in on Monday in the Quad and still hope to. But I confess I am a bit worried about the direction and tone of the OccupyUCDavis movement based on this email.

UPDATE - I presume this "Eric Lee" is the same as the one who wrote the following:
The “Pepper Spray Incident” and the Inevitable Radicalization of the UC Student Body

#UCDavis Chancellor Linda Katehi to have Town Hall w/ faculty and staff Tuesday #OccupyUCDavis

Just got this email:

Faculty and staff are invited to a town hall meeting on Tuesday, November 29, in Freeborn Hall from 4:00-5:30 p.m.  The meeting will be an open discussion with Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Ralph Hexter, and Matt Carmichael, Acting Chief of the UC Davis Police Department.

For background regarding the use of pepper spray against protesters last week and the campus response, please see http://chancellor.ucdavis.edu/initiatives/campus_protests/. Sincerely,
Linda P.B. Katehi
Chancellor

#UCDavis quad - a place for gatherings for a long time

I went by the UC Davis Quad (the scene of the pepper spray incident Friday) today after class and took a look at the growing camp.  I thought I would take some pics that I think symbolize the Quad in part to me.  The Quad is a place for relaxation much of the time.  And it is also a place for gatherings.  The fact that the current gathering has tents is perhaps unusual.  But the fact that students are gathering at the Quad to express themselves is not.  I hope people do not come away from the pepper spray story with a view that the Quad is somehow being taken over for "expression."  Whether you support the growing camp or not, the Quad is historically a place where expression comes in many forms.  Today, what stood out to me, were all the signs sitting there for student groups that are used for recruitment at various times.  Below is a slideshow of these signs:

Flash

Flash

And for those without flash I am inserting all the pics below ...