Last year, the UC Davis campus was shaken by a series of apparent hate incidents. This year those have not occurred, for whatever reason.
This week, the UC Davis Chancellor has come out with an op-ed talking about all of the efforts they have taken to promote diversity and tolerance. Unfortunately, most of this is some form of PC symbolistic rhetoric, rather than real action.
She continues, “Since then, we have launched a far-reaching initiative — the Hate-Free Campus Initiative — that has inspired several actions to build on our Principles of Community as we move toward a more inclusive, civil and compassionate community.”
What does this plan include? First, an action plan by the Campus Council on Community and Diversity on how to respond to incidents of hate and bias.
In so doing, they have created a “Rapid Response Team to address incidents of hate and bias on our Sacramento and Davis campuses.”
They have formed two subcommittees, “one devoted to academic issues and concerns and the other dedicated to student life issues and campus climate.”
And my favorite, a distinguished speaker series with people talking about gay rights, racism and tolerance.
She writes, “The reality is that there is no truly hate-free zone on our campus, in our state, in our country or in the world. But we are taking the steps to build a more inclusive community. That starts with promoting dialogue across racial and cultural barriers. It starts with creating the right climate for civil discourse between people with different ideas.”
The chancellor concludes, “And it starts at UC Davis. This is our commitment.”
Reading this, I can understand why conservatives grow frustrated by what they see as a march toward politically correct (PC) tolerance. What the Chancellor apparently does not get is a that a speaker tour, while nice, preaches to the converted. It does little to foster tolerance, because those who may be intolerant are not going to absorb any message that isn’t immediately reduced to a PC-truism.
I fail to understand why people as intelligent as the ones running the show at UC Davis fail to see how useless the steps that they have taken are. They might as well have been sitting on their thumbs for the entire year, for all of the good that their steps have accomplished.
When the students sat in on the MU quad last spring, they had very specific demands. The biggest problem facing minority students – particularly blacks and to some extent Latinos and Middle Easterners – is that they feel isolated in this community. So when a hate incident occurs, they feel particularly vulnerable.
The specific requests were efforts to recruit more minority students and faculty, and to increase the resources available to African-American students and their support on campus. They addressed issues like attrition rates, providing funding for a retention specialist, and other such issues.
But more importantly, African-American students say they feel vulnerable in the community on a regular basis. It is a continuing complaint that police both City of Davis and UC Davis racially profile students. Whether accurate or not, that is a very widely-held perspective.
I am particularly reminded of interviewing an African-American student and member of the football team for a position with our court watch program. I asked him if he had ever been ever racially profiled, and his response was “all the time.” I looked at his vehicle, he had a standard vehicle, perhaps between 5 and 10 years old, in reasonable working order, well maintained, UC Davis sticker – why would he be pulled over all the time?
And it is not just the police. One student mentioned that she just felt out of place in the community and that people stared at her wherever she went.
So where is the university’s focus on this issue? Where is the university focus on the issue of recruitment and retention of students and faculty? These I think are core issues. A speaker series makes everyone feel good, but again, preaches to the converted.
When I was a graduate student at UC Davis in political science, I would often be a teaching assistant for Political Science 1, and the professor would often talk about how the President deflects hot-buttoned issues by assigning a committee to look at them. Because once the committee meets and comes up with recommendations, things have calmed down and they can get away with only modest changes.
Well, that is just what has happened here. The Chancellor created new subcommittees out of the same people who have been around and working on this stuff for the last twenty years. This is not going to be a vehicle to change.
But fortunately, the issue has calmed down as the rash of hate incidents has diminished this year and these concerns will long be buried until they arise again. It is the same thing with the school district, in dealing with both racial tolerance and the achievement gap.
The issues keep resurfacing, but it is with new students who lack the institutional memory, so eventually nothing really changes.
Conservatives hate these PC tolerance programs, but so too do people like me, because they are an excuse to sit around the campfire, hold hands and sing songs. That is not how things change and it will not address the core issues, but it makes us all feel so much better. By the way, I hate the word “tolerance,” as it implies something artificial, like you are tolerating a bad odor. We do not need tolerance, we need to build bridges and promote understandings across cultural groups and subgroups.
I would love to see the Chancellor step up and seek out these students to make some real changes and I hope one day she does, but I’m not going to hold my breath that anything here has really changed.
—David M. Greenwald reporting
“One student mentioned that she just felt out of place in the community and that people stared at her wherever she went.”
Is it possible that she just has a complex?
You can kind of write off one person I suppose, but it’s a pretty consistent reaction by particularly African-Americans. I’ve still yet to run into an African American who went to UC Davis, and I run into quite a few at the capitol and elsewhere, that do not single out Davis.
“I’ve still yet to run into an African American who went to UC Davis, and I run into quite a few at the capitol and elsewhere, that do not single out Davis.”
So every time you run into an African American that attended UC Davis the subject of intolerance in Davis comes up?
Pretty much. I do have kind of a reputation you know plus I tend to ask questions.
I hate to be a kibitzer, but I guess I’m like the old boxer who hears the bell. The ease with which many of the commentators on this blog equated last years graffiti incidents and other hate crimes with teenage pranks was a big factor in my decision not to retire in Davis. I was born in Jim Crow Georgia. I have heard all the “good-natured joshin'” and “kids will be kids” crap before. Like termites eating away at the framework of our culture, these vermin will not go away if you ignore them.
Davis is a community of privilege, and most of the commentators on issues of race and social status seem unwilling even to risk rocking the boat.
Lets review, shall we?
The incidents that “shook” Davis last year were:
1. An off-campus party which had a theme “compton cookout”
2. A clueless female student put a noose in the library having zero idea it had ANY racial connotations.
3. A swastika was found on a student door, though he couldn’t recall if it had been there for some time
4. The Lesbian Gay Transgender Place claims to have been “chalked” by racists just prior to a rally with hurtful slogans. First time in history that the “Bubbas” of the world have chalked anything… I am not questioning the honesty of the people who “discovered” the horrors of the chalking, simply being astonished that the Bubbas out there have discovered chalk as a means of communicating hate.
In response there were rallys, committee formed, the governor called them “horrific acts” (a notch above genocide) the chancellor made speeches, medals were passed out and days of dignity were called…
Thank god we survived the horror.
Biddlin
Your post made me a little sad. I am curious about where you did retire to.
The reason for the sadness is that I feel that there are many in Davis who share my belief that these campus episodes are not trivial and that they should be taken very seriously. We just don’t tend to be as vocal or in some cases as strident as some of the bloggers here. I am also in agreement with the majority of David’s commentary except that I think there is still room for both the “preaching to the choir approach” which will occasionally reach new ears or cause someone to be inspired enough to take action and the more direct approaches you discussed and the students are promoting.
One example from a different field, namely medicine, of a “preaching to the choir” approach is the success that Atul Gawande has had in changing hospital safety practices with his books and lectures on the medical use of the “checklist”. we all have known for years that safety was a major issue. Still, it took a speaker and author committed to the concept to repetitvely bring it up until things finally reached a tipping point and the concept took off nation wide.
The UC hate incidents started at UC San Diego – there was a noose displayed at the school library. There was also a fraternity party at UCSD that displayed flawed and insensitive taste, but it was the noose incident that got most of the attention. Subsequent to the “intolerance” at UCSD, which was also mixed with anger over rising UC fees, the wave of “intolerance” moved north to UCSC, UCD and I think UC. As I recall, the UCD incidents were mainly the swastikas left on two doorways, but it was the noose incident at UCSD that raised the alarm of Black students at UCD.
A unique aspect in the original UCSD case (the noose case) was the fact they determined who was involved. The woman responsible was arrested, – she appologized and she claimed to be a “minority” (I never saw an explanation of what minority). After the arrest there was no followup information. Was the incident a real act of intolerance or was it something else? My view is the UC Administrator love these incidents because it makes them look good when they show sensitivity and compassion. The UC System was never honest about the noose incident at UCSD and the Principles of Community mean nothing if people can not be honest with each other. I want the truth and nothing but the truth!
I know there are real examples of intolerance out there and they should be addressed, but think the reaction to what happened at UCSD was largely contrived.
“The ease with which many of the commentators on this blog equated last years graffiti incidents and other hate crimes with teenage pranks was a big factor in my decision not to retire in Davis.”
Are you serious?
Believe it or not, rusty49, I am. I learned from this blog that the working class, hopeful, truly progressive Davis I had seen in the late 1960s and early 70s had been replaced by a smug, narcissistic doppelganger.
medwoman- I have settled in a old South Sacramento neighborhood close to the Sacramento river, with other retirees and young families, from all backgrounds, for neighbors. We are close to bus and light rail service as well as emergency medical services, important considerations for retirees and the disabled. Transportation and access to services, or the absence of them, were also considerations in my decision against Davis. The attitudes expressed by so many commentators regarding the value of public workers, unions in general and agricultural workers also factored into my overall feeling that I would not be welcome in the community. I suspect many other civil service retirees may feel the same, thus spending our, as we are told repeatedly on this blog, “exorbitant” retirements elsewhere.
Well good for you Biddlin. All I know is I sure as Hell wouldn’t base any of my life decisions based on what is posted on here.
I think you are missing his point Rusty. Honestly sometimes I feel the same way and then I remind myself that less than one percent of the people who read this site actually post.
[i] The attitudes expressed by so many commentators regarding the value of public workers, unions in general and agricultural workers also factored into my overall feeling that I would not be welcome in the community. I suspect many other civil service retirees may feel the same, thus spending our, as we are told repeatedly on this blog, “exorbitant” retirements elsewhere.[/i]
The commenting community on this blog is very different from the Davis community at large. I know this from tabling around town for various causes. Davis is a place where conservatives generally tend to feel slapped down for speaking out. In fact, one conservative acquaintance asserts that conservatives are a persecuted minority in Davis (half in jest, I think). The comments section of this blog is one venue where conservative ideas might be addressed seriously, even if the tone of the blog articles isn’t conservative. For me here, conservative includes a tendancy toward being anti-public union, heavier negative criticism of government employees and institutions, and the feeling that PC-ness is excessive.
If the Vanguard comments section were your only window into Davis, then I think your impression of Davis would be very skewed.
This is one of the silliest commentaries I have seen on the Vanguard for a while.
David Greenwald, since you are so critical, it might help if you could suggest some concrete actions that the chancellor should take “to recruit more minority students and faculty, and to increase the resources available to African-American students and their support on campus.”
In my opinion, the chancellor exactly gets it. She completely understands people who make wishful demands for societal outcomes with no knowledge of how to proceed legally and equitably. She knows exactly what she is doing and fully understands the meaninglessness of the token events she organized. What she also understands is the vapidity and the dishonesty of the demands made by the students.
It is very instructive that you ignore the targets of last year’s swastika incidents- Jewish and Israeli Students – while focusing on African-American students. The Office of Civil Rights is now investigating anti-Jewish and anti_Israeli student bias at a UC campus, UCSC.
Finally some people brought up the noose incident in San Diego’s library. It is widely believed at UCSD that the minority student involved hung the noose to keep passions aflame and to pressure the UCSD administration to take actions favoring African-American students. It is believed that the UCSD administration is covering this up to maintain the campus atmosphere.
Contrary to the ridiculous claim that UC administrators like these incidents, they hate them. That is why they give in so readily to student demonstrator demands. The UCSD chancellor was badly humiliated last year and publicly wept. Fortunately Chancellor Katehi is both tougher and much more savvy.
“I think you are missing his point Rusty. Honestly sometimes I feel the same way and then I remind myself that less than one percent of the people who read this site actually post.”
That’s so funny. Being conservative but mindful that others can have a different opinion I’ve never once thought about leaving Davis because of all the liberal posts on here, so does that make me more tolerant?
Re: UCSD noose [url]http://articles.latimes.com/2010/mar/02/local/la-me-ucsd2-2010mar02[/url]
David, do you have the specifics of what the students were asking for?
“[i]The specific requests were efforts to recruit more minority students and faculty, and to increase the resources available to African-American students and their support on campus. They addressed issues like attrition rates, providing funding for a retention specialist, and other such issues.[/i]”
These sound like laudable goals, but I don’t know how easy it is to implement something in a color-blind manner.
Let me take a slightly different approach here –
Minority students very typically cling together – something my children noted regularly while attending UCD and Sac City. It is understandable – one sticks together with whomever one is more comfortable with. But in doing so, it is going to tend to make minorities feel like “outsiders” if they cling only to each other. It is important for minorities to emmerse themselves in campus life as much as possible, to experience the richness of other cultures.
Secondly, have you been on the UCD campus lately? If you are Caucasion, you are in the minority. The campus is full of all sorts of “minorities”, many who speak foreign languages. Minorities are no longer the “outsiders” anymore from a practical point of view.
Thirdly, it is best for UCD and the state/country if we educate our best and brightest, regardless of ethnic origin. I am not in favor of dumbing down academic standards to accommodate certain minority groups on campus or as part of the faculty, just for PC’s sake.
Fourthly, minorities don’t have a lock on being bullied or feeling unwanted. My son is a white male, and was unmercifully bullied by kids of various religious and ethnic persuasions, and even by a disabled student during his public school years. Why? Because he was small for his size, quiet and unassuming, trying to mind his own business – the perfect victim; AND BECAUSE THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM WAS VERY, VERY REMISS IN FAILING TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM. Once my son moved onto college, he did much better – it was a whole different atmosphere, much to his relief.
If there is an incident on the UCD campus, the police need to vigorously investigate, including taking finger prints, installing cameras, etc. They need to mean business. All the touchy, feely nonsense about creating a more inclusive community is just window dressing. There has to be real teeth behind any effort to stop bullying.
J.R. said
“It is widely believed at UCSD that the minority student involved hung the noose to keep passions aflame and to pressure the UCSD administration to take actions favoring African-American students. It is believed that the UCSD administration is covering this up to maintain the campus atmosphere. “
That is the first time I have read that explanation – where did you hear that? I have searched and have never found anything beyond the arrest of the young woman.
It seems to me that 90% of the “hate” incidents that subsequently happened in the UC system were directly linked to the noose incident. If the UCSD Administration had immediately reacted to and explained the incident then many other incidents would have never happened. The UCSD Administration used the incident to raise important social issues – the only problem was that the basis for the discussion was false. They left people with the impression of Hate at UCSD when in fact they knew it was simply not true. PC ruled the day as they turned their back on Honesty. That reaction and several similar reactions at UCD have led me to conclude UC Administrators look forward to these incidents – they can change that view if they are more upfront and honest in the future.
Alphonso: scroll up. I posted a link.
Damned if you do damned if you don’t. Of course its never enough but at least its nothing.
Don – thank you.
I read the link, but it lacks a full explanation. As far as I can tell UCSD never was willing to provide closure by explaining the situation. It happened on their campus and it got significant press as a hate incident, yet they never bothered to tell anybody what really happened. Instead the incident grew into something larger as other campuses got involved.
I even wrote the UCSD Chancellor asking her for an explanation – all I got back was a form letter proclaiming UCSD was against all forms of bias.
I have a few black friends, I eat Mexican and Chinese food, I date Asian women and think most lawyers are crooks, am I doomed or can I be saved?
[quote]”Last year, the UC Davis campus was shaken by a series of apparent hate incidents. This year those have not occurred, for whatever reason….I fail to understand why people as intelligent as the ones running the show at UC Davis fail to see how useless the steps that they have taken are. They might as well have been sitting on their thumbs for the entire year, for all of the good that their steps have accomplished.[/quote]”Now, let’s see, what type of measurements would a PolySci grad student use to determine change where a “rash of hate incidents” shook the UCD campus last year? Deeply analyze two interview anecdotes? Or, maybe, compare number of hate incidents at UCD before and after the start of the Hate-Free Campus Initiative–down from _______ to zero.
[quote]”I would love to see the Chancellor step up and seek out these students to make some real changes and I hope one day she does, but I’m not going to hold my breath that anything here has really changed.”[/quote] In fact, she’s issued the invitation: [quote]”This is an outline rather than a fully drawn plan because we want our entire campus community to contribute ideas, suggestions and proposals for programming under this broad-ranging (initiative).”[/quote] Do you have anything particular in mind for Dr. Katehi to undertake that will assure that the UCD campus will continue to be without “hate incidents” in the future?
As I read her [u]Enterprise[/u] op-ed, it appears UCD has been active in doing things that universities do She is identifying and acknowledging the hate incident problem at the Davis campus, reinforcing standards for equality and civility, committing to swift action in case of future incidents, bringing diversity educational opportunities to campus, engaging all involved in UCD in the initiative, undertaking related research, funding campus group proposals for “activities that promote a hate-free, bias-free campus,” etc.).
Considering that university students only have a four-year life ([u]if[/u] they’re successful), it must be a daunting task for UCD to turn around those who’ve spent their lifetimes learning hate and intolerance. And, it has to be repeated class after class after class.
You target Dr. Katehi as responsible to assure hate incidents don’t happen instead of the individuals who undertake these nasty acts.
If one’s to believe Gunrock’s summary of four incidents, at least two didn’t even happen at UCD. It’s difficult to see how “particularly blacks and to some extent Latinos and Middle Easterners” were the victims here, unless they also happened to be Jewish and/or lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.
There’s a lot to be done in our society to improve the way we treat and live with each other. I’d think that calling others’ good-faith efforts to bring about change “useless” isn’t the best way to move us ahead. As the chancellor noted, “It starts with creating the right climate for civil discourse between people with different ideas.”
[quote]”By the way, I hate the word ‘tolerance’, as it implies something artificial, like you are tolerating a bad odor.”[/quote]You’ve got a point about the (mis)use of this word–maybe Chancellor Katehi and you agree on the issue. All the more reason to wonder why you selected the word to use eight times in your write-up while she didn’t choose to use it a single time in her text. (Some folks write about it, some take action?)
“By the way, I hate the word “tolerance,” as it implies something artificial, like you are tolerating a bad odor. We do not need tolerance, we need to build bridges and promote understandings across cultural groups and subgroups.” – David Greenwald
“Hate” seems a strong, even ironic word relative to “tolerance.” There are other less loaded words to express your displeasure, I would think. Also, I would say building bridges should be “to” cultural groups and subgroups, not “across” them, which implies that those on the bridge are looking down on the groups.