Dear Banana Slugs,
We want to start this message by acknowledging the camaraderie, compassion, and generosity of spirit that the UC Santa Cruz community has largely shown over the past several weeks. Despite everyone being physically separated, students, faculty, and staff have been creatively finding ways to connect with and support one another during these extraordinarily difficult times, even while struggling and facing challenges related to this pandemic themselves.
It is disheartening that even in the midst of a public health crisis, Asian and Asian-American members of our campus community endure racist, xenophobic, and hate-filled messages or interactions while trying to study or work at the university.
Many students, staff, and faculty have also shared their experiences of being harassed because of their identity when they are online or while on essential trips to the grocery store, pharmacy and medical office, layered on top of worrying that they or their loved ones will contract COVID-19, attending to a full workload, and adjusting to working remotely. This is hurtful and disruptive.
We condemn all of these actions (whether they take place on or off campus) and implore every member of our community to think about how their words and actions might further impact others above and beyond the unprecedented challenges we already face in the midst of this pandemic. These actions cause real pain, and there is no place for them. The words that we use and the actions we take always matter, regardless of the space in which they occur. Now is the time for our Banana Slug community to come together and recommit to enacting our Principles of Community and model those principles within our larger community.
Support Resources
For all who have been directly and indirectly impacted by hateful and hurtful speech, please do not hesitate to reach out to UCSC’s Resource Centers. One of these resources is the Asian American/Pacific Islander Resource Center (AA/PIRC). The center’s director, Caz Salamanca, issued a recent message which is linked in the resource list. The Resource Centers continue to have virtual office hours for students, and are always happy to meet with academic and non-academic employees. Additionally, for students, Dr. Audrey Kim, counseling psychologist with Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) has Let’s Talk drop-in sessions via Zoom on Tuesdays from from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm. The Employee Assistance Program is available to support staff and faculty; if you would like to speak to someone at the UCSC Benefits Office in confidence regarding the EAP, you may contact Marianne McIvor, Health Care Facilitator, at (831) 459-3573.
Resource Centers
International Student Support
Employee Resources
Submit a Report
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Students and faculty should refer to https://reporthate.ucsc.edu/ for hate/bias related incidents/comments during zoom classes.
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To file a formal complaint about harassment and/or discrimination on the basis of a protected identity, students, staff, and faculty can make a report on-line using the reporting form on the Equity and Equal Protection homepage.
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To report an incident of sexual violence or sexual harassment contact the Title IX Office.
