UCLA aims to rebuild trust with free speech zones and greater security

UCLA, rocked by violent protests over the Israel-Hamas war last spring, unveiled a plan Thursday to rebuild campus trust and ties that includes increased security, broader dialogue across differences, free speech guidelines and stronger efforts to support diversity.

In a letter to the Bruins community three weeks before fall classes begin, interim Chancellor Darnell Hunt said the “difficult spring” highlighted the urgent need for new initiatives to repair the damage done to campus trust and unity.

UCLA received global attention when video footage was recorded in April a violent night attack at a pro-Palestinian camp by counter-protesters armed with metal pipes, wooden planks, fists and fireworks. Law enforcement forced the camp to be dispersed shortly after, 231 people were arrested, including about 90 students. Security lapses UCLA Reinstate the police chief. Faculty members outraged by police actions vote to condemn and express distrust He unsuccessfully ran for then-Chancellor Gene Block.

In the meantime, a Congress committee called Block to question him about his anti-Semitism and his approach to three issues Jewish students sue UCLA They were arrested after being asked if they were Zionists and then denied entry to campus because they said Palestinian supporters were blocking their access to campus walkways and buildings.

As a forward-looking effort, Hunt said his four-point plan will aim for a “safer, stronger UCLA,” including an overhaul of policing practices, campus-wide efforts to build community and updated guidelines on free speech activities.

“As a campus that promotes inclusive excellence, we must protect the ability of Bruins of all backgrounds and identities to feel safe, welcome, respected, and able to fully participate in campus life,” Hunt wrote. “We may not always agree on important and timely issues, but if we treat each other with respect and empathy, we can both thrive as people and provide a healthy academic environment for all.”

UCLA’s new free speech rules are as follows: University of California’s tough new guidance on protest management. All 10 UC campuses were ordered by UC President Michael V. Drake to post free speech rules and inform students about them before the fall semester begins, a move to comply with a state legislative mandate. UCLA and six other UC undergraduate campuses begin classes the week of Sept. 23; UC Berkeley and UC Merced began last month.

The UCLA policies, released Wednesday, are temporary rules that go into effect immediately until finalized after a 60-day public review process. They specify approved free speech zones and omit the Royce Quad as one of them. The Quad was a major conflict zone last spring as the site of both the Palestine Solidarity Camp and a pro-Israel area with a giant screen projecting video loops of the October 7 attack by Hamas militants on southern Israel.

Free speech zones include Bruin Walk and Plaza outside the student union and Pauley Pavilion, as well as the east lawn area next to the Janss stairs.

The rules prohibit tents, campsites and other temporary structures on UCLA property without prior approval, and blocking access to walkways and buildings. Loud noise will be prohibited during walks, but generally permitted with some restrictions. Concealing one’s identity while breaking the law or rules will be prohibited. The rules also detail procedures for holding campus events and reiterate that the campus will be closed for events from midnight to 6 a.m., with limited exceptions.

In addition to new free speech policies, the plan includes a renewed focus on campus safety and well-being. After the brawl on the night of April 30, UCLA a new Office of Campus Safety has been createdhired former Sacramento Police Chief Rick Braziel to head the office and moved all policing and emergency management programs to it. The office, in conjunction with the University of California, is reviewing security protocols and the police response to last spring’s protests.

But Hunt said the office’s responsibilities will go beyond protest management. 2022 report on campus security He noted that students, faculty and staff have raised concerns not only about campus policing, but also mental health, COVID safety, racism and sexism, active shooter and earthquake preparedness, and sexual assault. Hunt said UCLA will include such broader issues in the expanded mandate as it continues its listening sessions.

UCLA will also launch several programs aimed at building understanding among those who disagree. In the UC system, many students, faculty and administrators say differences over the Israel-Hamas war have fractured their campus in unique ways. The first step to healing those divisions, Hunt said, is “seeing each other as real people shaped by complex histories and experiences, not as simple stereotypes.”

UCLA will launch a new speaker series this fall offering “challenging yet empathetic conversations” on current issues. The first event will feature: Yasmin Abu Fraiha, An Israeli Bedouin physician and member of the Middle East Initiative at Harvard Kennedy School.

“Conversing Across Conflict” workshops will aim to strengthen skills for constructive conversations across charged political differences. New programs for student internships and teaching fellowships on effective dialogue are also planned. Many of the expanded programs will UCLA Institute for Kindness and headed by David Myers, a professor of Jewish history who has long been involved in bridge-building efforts.

“In a diverse community like ours, part of our learning and growth comes from interacting with perspectives we may not agree with or easily understand,” Hunt wrote. “While this can be uncomfortable, it is also what helps us deepen our thinking, weigh different approaches, and consider new ways to look at an issue. Ultimately, it advances truth, knowledge, and understanding.”

Hunt also said UCLA will continue to look for ways to provide more support to its diverse community. For example, the Office of Civil Rights is currently reviewing reports of anti-Semitism and anti-Arab and Islamophobic discrimination to understand how this impacts student experiences.

“UCLA is a wonderful place, but it is certainly not perfect,” Hunt said. “A commitment to rigorously examining the challenges we face and how we address them, and making changes based on those findings, is essential to ensuring UCLA best serves its important academic mission and meets the needs of its students, faculty and staff.”