LOS ANGELES — More than 800 University of California faculty and staff on Thursday, May 9, called for the resignation of UCLA Chancellor Gene Block over the handling of a pro-Palestinian encampment and related violence that erupted on the Westwood campus, including an assault on the camp by masked assailants that was allowed to rage for hours before police intervened.
The faculty members all attached their names to an online petition that calls for the ouster of Block, as well as full amnesty for all students, staff and faculty who were involved in the encampment. The petition also calls on the university to fully disclose within 30 days all of its investments, and to divest from “all military weapons production companies and supporting systems.”
Faculty and staff members gathered on the UCLA campus Thursday to express their concerns and deliver the petition to Block and university administration. There was no immediate response from Block.
On Friday, the UCLA Academic Senate, which represents campus faculty, will hold an emergency meeting to consider a resolution of “no-confidence” and a formal censure of Block. Those resolutions both state that Block “failed to ensure the safety of our students and grievously mishandled the events of last week.”
The resolutions are similar to those taken up Wednesday by the Academic Senate at USC, which voted to formally censure USC President Carol Folt and Provost Andrew Guzman. That group tabled a no-confidence resolution.
The faculty actions are the latest fallout following last week’s dismantling of the massive encampment at UCLA’s Royce Quad. The police action resulted in 209 arrests. The removal of the encampment came roughly 24 hours after a group of masked assailants launched a violent attack on the protesters, setting off fireworks and deploying tear gas in a clash that protesters said resulted in dozens of injuries.
Complaints quickly arose following that attack, which observers said was allowed to…
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