Last week we saw an attempt to diminish the already limited role of faculty in the selection of Chancellors (see below). We are witnessing the increasing role of expensive “head hunter” search firms not just in the selection of Chancellors, but also in filling the lower rungs of the administrative structure, such as Deans. While we oppose the continuing erosion of shared governance, we cannot complain if we do not seize the opportunity to participate in shared governance when it arises.
The Chancellor has invited comments, suggestions and questions with regard to the proposals contained in the report of the Independent Advisory Board on Police Accountability and Community Safety. We have commented before (TW3 #162 and #163) on the importance of this report, as it addresses many of the problematic features of campus policing. We strongly urge BFA members to respond to Chancellor Christ’s call before the deadline of August 7th.
- Substantially defund general campus police and redistribute those resources to the study and development of alternative modes of campus safety that minimize and/or abolish the reliance on policing and other criminalizing responses.
- Invest in resources that promote mental and physical wellbeing of the campus community, specifically support services for Black students as well as for other marginalized student groups who have been historically targeted by police violence.
- Ban firearms as standard equipment for police on the general campus.
- Dissolve any existing partnership or cooperation agreements with non-UC law enforcement agencies and terminate any agreements to allow non-UC law enforcement agencies access to campus facilities or property.
- Assemble groups at both the campus and system-wide level to discuss these recommendations and how to begin implementing them within a three-year period. In doing so, these groups should prioritize the participation of those who have traditionally experienced violence and mistreatment at the hands of police. Similar steps should also be considered at the health campuses to address the policing issues identified above, recognizing the higher security needs in these environments.
We stand by these proposals and kindly request the Chancellor to respond to each of these suggestions: how they might be implemented if deemed appropriate, and if deemed inappropriate why so.
Michael Burawoy and Celeste Langan for the Board of the Berkeley Faculty Association.