UCSC Faculty Letter to EVC Galloway and Chancellor Blumenthal on April 2 Arrests

Dear EVC Galloway and Chancellor Blumenthal,

We write to urge that charges against students arrested this morning (April 2) be dropped. We understand that in connection with the UAW strike, 20 UCSC students were arrested while picketing. We've also heard that UCB police were brought in and that they were wearing riot helmets. Some of us have been told by members of the administration that students were arrested for blocking Empire Grade, but this video appears to show someone being arrested in the crosswalk while identifying himself as a union member:

http://www.kionrightnow.com/news/local-news/student-workers-at-uc-santa-cruz-protest-what-they-say-are-unfair-labor-practices/25285736

We don't understand why these students were arrested while picketing. Neither do we understand why UCB police with riot gear were brought to our campus. This is a draconian approach to student political actions and labor actions, and represents a dramatic escalation of confrontation on the part of the administration.

As faculty, some of whom live or have lived in faculty and staff housing, we are shocked that students were arrested this morning while picketing and hope that as the administrative heads of UCSC, you can urge that charges be dropped.

Sincerely,

Bettina Aptheker
Distinguished Professor, Feminist Studies

Mark Anderson
Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies, Anthropology

Hunter Bivens
Associate Professor, Literature

Chelsea Blackmore
Assistant Professor, Anthropology

Giulia Centineo
Lecturer in Italian, Language Program

Chris Connery
Professor, Literature

Ben Crow
Professor and Chair, Sociology

Cindy Cruz
Assistant Professor, Education

Shelly Errington
Professor, Anthropology; Chair, Santa Cruz Faculty Association

Dana Frank
Professor, History

Carla Freccero
Professor and Chair, Literature and History of Consciousness

Patty Gallagher
Professor, Theater Arts

Per F. Gjerde, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus of Psychology

Susan Gilman
Professor, Literature

Deborah Gould
Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies, Sociology

Chris Hables Gray
ongoing Lecturer, Crown College
(currently Visiting Professor, University College Cork, Ireland)

Christine Hong
Assistant Professor, Literature

Miriam Greenberg
Associate Professor, Sociology

Kirsten Silva Gruesz
Professor, Literature

Gail Hershatter
Distinguished Professor, History

Sean Keilen
Associate Professor, Literature; Provost, Porter College

Christine King
Lecturer, Kresge College/College 10

Regina Langhout
Associate Professor, Psychology

Kimberly Lau
Professor, Literature; Provost, Oakes College

Ronnie Lipschutz
Professor, Politics; Provost, College Eight

Robert Meister
Professor of Social Sciences and Political Thought

Helene Moglen
Professor Emerita, Literature

Megan Moodie,
Assistant Professor, Anthropology

Craig Reinarman
Professor, Psychology

Danilyn Rutherford
Professor and Chair, Anthropology

Vanita Seth
Associate Professor, Politics

G.S. Sahota
Assistant Professor, Literature

Beth Stephens
Professor, Art

Megan Thomas
Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies, Politics

Michael Urban
Professor Emeritus, Politics

Susan Wright
Researcher, Politics