SR 13-03 - Resolution in Response to Hate Crimes at San Jose State University

Approve Date: April 29, 2014
Senate Resolution File:
SR 13-03 Resolution in Response to Hate Crimes at San Jose State University

Drafted By: Julia Balen
Purpose: To publically support SJSU and the CSU in general in ending hate crimes.

Senate Resolution
Whereas: the mission of California State University Channel Islands is to provide “undergraduate and graduate education that facilitates learning within and across disciplines through integrative approaches, emphasizes experiential and service learning, and graduates students with multicultural and international perspectives;” and

Whereas, CI strives to facilitate and promote an environment that supports our mission; and

Whereas, CI’s student, staff, faculty, and administrative populations are composed of people with diverse racial, ethnic, religious, class, gender and sexual orientations; and

Whereas, CI recognizes the alleged hate crime that occurred at San Jose State University which according to the police report published in the San Jose Mercury News, a resident and a student in the San Jose University dorms was allegedly abused multiple times by dorm-mates:
- “The residents of #704 chose to nickname (Victim) ‘3/5,’ in reference to the 3/5 compromise at the 1787 Constitutional Convention deeming a black slave to count as 3/5 of a person toward representation and taxation.”
- The suitemates of the victim “locked a bicycle ‘U’ lock around his neck and hid the key before (victim) found it and was able to unlock and remove the device” and the “suitemates tried, unsuccessfully, to lock the ‘U’ lock around his neck again.”
- The victim was lured “Into a closet and lock[ed] inside of it with the suitemates going as far as to remove a closet door knob in the process.” - “The writing of the word, ‘N*****,’ on a dry erase board in a common area of the suite…”

Whereas, ensuring student success requires a combination of supporting academic achievement, personal and professional goals, and overall individual health and well-being; therefore:

Be it resolved that the Academic Senate of CI supports efforts to prevent such incidents from occurring at CI and throughout the CSU including, but not limited to: student-led initiatives to end bullying of all sorts; the Center for Multicultural Engagement’s “Don’t Hate-Elevate” initiative; faculty efforts in and out of the classroom to educate students about prejudice, privilege, and valuing differences; administrative and staff efforts to create an environment that celebrates differences and administrative
processes that support such an environment.