Remembering Our Commitment to Our Principles of Community

Unit Managers: Please post a paper copy of this message in your area for people who do not have regular computer access.

At UC Santa Cruz, we are committed to maintaining a diverse and supportive community that is free of hate, intimidation, and coercion. Regrettably, there have been disturbing reports of race-related incidents recently, and I write to remind you about campus resources that are available to all.

Hate- and bias-related incidents are painful to experience and will not be tolerated here at UC Santa Cruz. We have initiated, as required by university policy, a full review of what occurred and intend to hold individuals accountable, where warranted, for their actions. In addition, the Dean of Students has asked the African American Resource and Cultural Center (AARCC) to host a town hall meeting as soon as possible to provide a forum where students, staff, and faculty can share their thoughts and concerns.

The UCSC Principles of Community articulate our campus commitment to creating an environment that values and supports everyone. To that end, we are committed to enforcing policies regarding hate/bias incidents, as well as sexual assault, sexual harassment, and the conduct of students, faculty, and staff. These incidents have no place on our campus. Thankfully, such incidents are rare, yet swift reporting and response is key when they do occur.

If you believe you have witnessed, or that you have been a target of, a hate- or bias-motivated incident on campus or while participating in a university-sponsored activity, please bring the incident to the attention of campus officials. You may report incidents directly to the UCSC Police Department, or online through the Student Judicial Affairs hate- or bias-motivated incident reporting form or the UC systemwide Climate Issues Reporting System. We accept anonymous reports and endeavor to respect the rights of privacy of all individuals involved in accordance with the law.

We take every report seriously. On campus, our Hate Bias Response Team responds within two business days, investigating each report as appropriate and offering support to affected individuals to facilitate the healing process. We seek to make each incident a "teachable moment" and take steps to educate the campus community.

We actively promote diversity, equity, and inclusion on this campus, and have implemented program such as the Chancellor's Advisory Council on Campus Climate, Culture, and Inclusion and the Diversity and Inclusion Certificate Program to further these goals.

The work of building a community that values diversity and inclusion is never done, and I want to encourage you to play an active role in this critical undertaking.