UCSD reacts to racial incidents

600 students gathered outside the UCSD Chancellor’s office Friday morning in response to the recent bias motivated incidents that have occurred. First, hosts of a party themed “Compton Cookout” invited students to dress and act in a way that encouraged racial stereotypes, mocking Black History Month. The second incident came late Thursday night when a noose was found in the UCSD library.              
 “This shows it isn’t an isolated incident, but a community problem that needs to be addressed,” said Anita Casavantes Bradford, UCSD history professor. “It was amazing to see all students, black, white, asian, everything, outside yelling, crying, calling for action, saying that this is not right,” Kieu Tran, a UCSD sophomore, said.              
 “I got a text in the morning about it and I walked out of my art class,” freshman Gabriela Perdomo said. “At first our campus seemed a little indifferent, but now it has gotten to a point where we have to voice our concerns.” A gathering of that size into the chancellor’s office is considered trespassing and they ran the risk of being arrested.
“The students were extremely careful about it being a peaceful rally, they even did things like not touching the computers, phones or valuables,” Casavantes Bradford said.
The peaceful rally was not the only act in response to the hate crimes. Students snuck multi-colored roses (to represent all skin colors) into the library in backpacks Monday and spread them all over the seventh floor, with simple cards saying, “love another.”
“The seventh floor was where the noose was put up; the idea being, if people can sneak in and do something hateful, we can sneak in with something beautiful and loving,” Casavantes Bradford, who organized the event, said. “I wanted to have a spiritual response to the spiritual damage done to the library space.”              
 “An individual has come forward and admitted responsibility for the latest incident because of pressure from our UC San Diego community,” Chancellor Mary Anne Fox said in her video statement found on the UCSD website. At a news conference, Chancellor Fox said the student has been suspended.
The chancellor met with the Black Student Union and other student organizations on Friday, so the lines of communication are open. One of the recommendations BSU made was for UCSD to have a diversity office, like other UC schools have, to recruit and promote diversity on campus. As of now black students make up about 2 percent of their campus population.
In reaction to the inappropriately themed party, the university held a campus wide teach-in earlier this week to address the issues on campus and engage in discussions. Two female students said the university wasn’t doing enough to address the issue and led the students outside the auditorium.
Fox said the university has created a task force to try and attract more minority faculty. A commission has also been formed to boost the number of black students who enroll. “I don’t know what’s going to happen, but historically these types of movements do produce change,” Casavantes Bradford said.
“I strongly condemn the offensive acts of hate and bias that have occurred over the past days…we are making significant changes based on the Black Student Union’s recommendations,” Chancellor Fox said.
Changes have already begun to take form. Associated Students has formed a campus climate committee comprising of student leaders from campus organizations. Fraternities have suspended members during review of the incidents. The university has launched a “Racism: Not in Our Community” campaign to reinforce campus wide the message against racism and hate.
A description of what is being done can be found at: battlehate.ucsd.edu.