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Record for NoIndoctrination.org entry #466.

University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC)

Apr. 13, 2005

http://www.ucsc.edu

Other University or Dept.-Sponsored Bias

Required: Not Sure or N/A

Level of Bias: Excessive

Comments: Intolerance at the University of California at Santa Cruz

I have been a student at the University of California, Santa Cruz for the past three and a half years, and at the end of this quarter I am due to graduate. Over the years I have heard rumors of injustice on our campus: a denial of free speech to some students, hate speech directed at friends, and flyers for organizations' events being torn down. This could never happen at my school, I thought; not at UCSC, the center of free speech and progressive thought! Unfortunately I was proven wrong.

On March 10th, Itamar Marcus came to speak at our campus, invited by Scholars for Peace in the Middle East and co-sponsored by Students for Peace in the Middle East (a group I had recently joined), The Chabad Student Center and the Santa Cruz Hillel Foundation. The director of the Palestinian Media Watch, Marcus had testified before the U.S. Senate in 2003 about Palestinian incitement and indoctrination, and was to give sworn testimony before the U.S. Congress in the weeks following his lecture. The night of the event, Dr. Marcus showed translated clips from Palestinian music videos, children's shows, and newspapers, that documented the way in which the Palestinian Authority indoctrinates school children, as young as pre-schoolers, to become "Shahadas" (martyrs, suicide bombers).

During the week prior to the event, members of the sponsoring groups posted flyers around campus to publicize the event. The flyer depicted the topic of Marcus' talk by displaying an actual photograph of a small child dressed up as a suicide bomber found in the family album of a Palestinian terrorist in Hebron, distributed by the Associated Press and Reuters. Three times students posted flyers on bus stops and bulletin boards on campus, and three times the flyers were either torn down or defaced with slogans such as "Zionism is Racism" or "Occupation is Murder". On Tuesday March 8th, I personally posted a flyer outside of my 8am class in the Social Sciences building. After class, I saw a middle-aged woman, obviously upset, holding a large stack of flyers in one hand and my newly posted flyer in the other, speaking to a younger female student. I approached the two women, asked if there was a problem, and informed them that I was the one who had posted the flyer they had removed. The woman, whom I later identified as Nancy Stoller, a tenured professor in Community Studies and Women's Studies, and on the steering committee of the UCSC Research Center for Justice, Tolerance and Community, informed me that she was removing the flyers because they were offensive to her. In addition, since she assumed that the speaker was not supported by any official campus groups, we had no right to post on campus property. In fact, the cosponsoring organizations were official student groups.

Professor Stoller also told me that what we had posted was hate speech because our flyers implied that the Palestinians were killing their own children. She stated, in a bit of logic that was difficult for me to grasp, that we may as well have put up pictures of young American boys playing with G.I. Joes, because that was the same kind of military gender role stereotyping as the Palestinian family dressing up their one-year-old child as a suicide bomber.

I was outraged that a professor who supposedly educates about justice, tolerance and community would suppress the free speech of those who expressed dissenting views to hers. As stated in the Faculty Code of Conduct (APM-015) [http://www.ucop.edu/acadadv/acadpers/apm/apm-015.pdf] "The following are considered central to a university: free inquiry and exchange of ideas; enjoyment of constitutionally protected freedom of expression." It also clearly states in the Student Judicial Handbook, Hate/Bias Incident [http://www2.ucsc.edu/judicial/handbook04-05/appendixm.htm] that "All members of the campus community share responsibility for maintaining civility and openness. However, principal responsibility rests with university officials, especially staff and faculty. The primary objective of this policy is to help sustain a campus climate of tolerance and civility and to ensure that there are appropriate responses available to maintain the University's commitment to the free and open exchange of ideas."

As far as I can see, Professor Stoller's behavior was intolerant, violated civility, impeded the constitutional right to freedom of speech of the students and faculty who co-sponsored the lecture, and attempted to suppress a free and open exchange of ideas. If professors do not follow the basic rules of the University, how can we expect students to support and critically evaluate dissenting ideas? As a UCSC student, I am extremely offended by what this professor did. I believe that such behavior should not be tolerated from any member of the academic community, but especially not from a well-known professor who is an educator and role model for hundreds, even thousands, of students at this university.

I am currently filing a formal grievance against Professor Stoller with the University. I feel that as a member of the Santa Cruz community and a student, it is partially my responsibility to see that instructors such as Nancy Stoller are reprimanded for their egregious behavior and that students be protected from educators who abuse the University and use it as a platform for their own political views.

A follow-up message from the poster "We did talk to Douglas Zuidema, the director of student judicial affairs. He apparently interviewed Prof. Stoller who reported that she only removed a few flyers to distribute to her class (her class is on gender ideologies). Prof. Stoller only told Douglas Zuidema (not me) that she took down 'a couple' of flyers and made copies for the class. Me she told that she left "enough of them around" and that they were offensive to her. The funny thing is, all of the flyers that we had posted were blue and green; the stack of flyers I saw in her hand was all green flyers. If she had made copies of the flyer, wouldn't they have been on white paper?? No action has yet been taken against the professor, only the one we are currently filing. The grievance report will be submitted to Douglas Zuidema and evaluated by a faculty council."

NoIndoctrination.org note: UCLA Professor Emeritus Leila Beckwith (who knows the student poster and who is a member of one of the sponsoring organizations that invited Itamar Marcus to speak at UCSC) wrote a letter to each member of the Board of Regents, the Chancellor of UCSC, the Chair of the Department of Community Studies, and the Vice-Provost for Research, overseeing the Center for Justice, Tolerance, and the Community. The letter asked for a public apology from Professor Stoller to the sponsoring organizations as well as to the students of UCSC. The letter ended with "Please let me know when I may hear from you as to your actions to protect academic integrity and the rule of law on the UCSC campus." (NoIndoctrination.org has a copy of the professor's letter.) On April 10, 2005, NoIndoctrination.org received the following message from Professor Beckwith: "My letters to all the responsible members of the administration appear to have fallen on deaf ears---at least, no one answered me, in three weeks."

Readers of this post might also refer to the following articles:
http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/archive/2005/March/10/local/stories/10local.htm
http://www.chronwatch.com/content/contentDisplay.asp?aid=13533]

UDPATE:
FINDINGS OF THE UCSC CHARGES COMMITTEE (AUGUST 12, 2005)

Dear Professor Beckwith [Prof Beckwith also filed charges]:

Re: Complaint dated March 25, 2005

I am writing to notify you of the decision regarding the complaint you submitted alleging that Professor Nancy Stoller violated Part II, Section C.1 of the Faculty Code of Conduct by her actions on March 8, 2005. After reviewing the complaint and the findings of the Charges Committee, I have determined that this complaint is dismissed, as probable cause was not found to establish that the respondent’s conduct was inconsistent with the Faculty Code of Conduct.

In accordance with campus procedures (CAPM 002.015.I.2, disclosure of further detail about this particular case is not permissible. However, should you wish to discuss our campus disciplinary process generally, please do not hesitate to call me at (831) 459-3885.

Sincerely,

David S. Kliger
Interim Campus Provost and
Executive Vice Chancellor [NoIndoctrination.org Note: Part II, Section C.1 of the UC Faculty Code of Conduct reads: "Intentional disruption of functions or activities sponsored or authorized by the University" is "unacceptable faculty conduct" (http://www.ucop.edu/acadadv/acadpers/apm/apm-015.pdf).]

Oct. 7, 2005: NoIndoctrination.org used the California Public Records Act asking for "all correspondences and documents related to the grievance filed last spring against Professor Nancy Stoller. These should include (but are not limited to) the material submitted to the Charges Committee."
Nov. 2, 2005 NoIndoctrination.org received the following from Julianne N. Bentley (Administrative Records Supervisor): "I am writing to inform you that we have determined that those records are exempt from public disclosure. The requested records pertain to a confidential disciplinary process, and as such, their disclosure would constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. UCSC now considers this request fulfilled and the request is now closed. If you have any questions concerning this decision, please contact Susan Fellows in Academic Human Resources, at (831)459-5032 or susanahr@ucsc.edu."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
NoIndoctrination.org sent a rebuttal notice to Professor Stoller with cc's to UCSC Judicial Affairs Director Douglas Zuidema, UCSC Chancellor Denice Denton, UC President Robert Dynes, and the members of the UC Board of Regents. This posting was also included in NoIndoctrination.org's Evidence Packet presented to the California State Senate Education Committee after our testimony on April 20, 2005.

Rebuttal

Submitted: Apr. 27, 2005

The following rebuttal was submitted prior to the Findings of the Charges Committee quoted above.]

April 27, 2005

From Chancellor Denton, UC Santa Cruz

First, thank you for expressing your concern about an unfortunate -- and uncharacteristic --incident at UC Santa Cruz. Let me assure you that freedom of speech and the free exchange of ideas are treasured hallmarks of academic discourse, and are the norm on this campus.

When we are informed of any instance in which an individual’s right of expression might have been violated, UC Santa Cruz investigates the matter promptly and takes corrective action as appropriate. In all cases we engage in efforts to educate individuals about appropriate ways to express disagreement.

Privacy laws prevent me from commenting on any specific actions taken with respect to any given individual, but you can be certain that the matter is being thoroughly investigated and that appropriate action will be taken.

Students, staff, and faculty of UC Santa Cruz have agreed to “Principles of Community” (http://www.ucsc.edu/about/principles_community.asp) that include a commitment to demonstrate respect, tolerance and patience in our communications. Although we don't claim to always agree with each other, we strive to embrace diversity and to create an open environment in which the free exchange of ideas requires mutual respect and consideration for our differences.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Submitted on behalf of Chancellor Denton of UC Santa Cruz by

Susan J. Swim
Principal Analyst
Academic Human Resources
UC Santa Cruz