May 16, 2024
Dear Campus Community,
I write today to provide an update on the encampment being held on the Central Mall by the Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), a recognized student organization at º£½ÇÉçÇøCI. My message on this topic shared in Academic Senate on Tuesday is one that I want all members of our community to know about this situation which continues to evolve.
First and foremost, I very much appreciate the peaceful nature of the campaign. Student leaders have been very consistent in their messaging that they have no intention of being disruptive to any campus operations, and that peace is their goal. In the shared spirit of valuing peaceful protest, made possible by First Amendment guarantees of free speech and the right to assemble, I am temporarily allowing overnight protesters. We are continuously enforcing other requirements of º£½ÇÉçÇøCI’s , such as the prohibition of amplification systems without prior approval. I appreciate the protestors respecting such boundaries—particularly during this week when students are taking their final exams.
In my meeting on Tuesday with five student leaders, I responded to SJP’s six core issues, noting those to which I can immediately respond and those that either require more time to investigate or that are beyond my authority to satisfy.
I want to assure the campus of my belief in the protestors’ sincerity that they have no plans to disrupt any campus operations and will maintain a student-led, peaceful presence. I will provide additional updates as this evolving situation develops.
Sincerely,
Richard Yao, Ph.D.
President