With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today .
UCLA Chancellor To Testify Before Congress After Campus Police Chief Is Reassigned
Gene Block has been UCLA chancellor since 2007. He plans to retire in 2024.
(
Amanda Friedman/UCLA web site
)
UCLA Chancellor Gene Block is set to testify before Congress Thursday morning about antisemitism on college campuses.
He’ll appear before the House of Representatives Committee on Education and the Workforce along with the presidents of Northwestern and Rutgers universities for a hearing titled “Calling for Accountability: Stopping Antisemitic College Chaos.”
The testimony comes after the university announced Wednesday that campus Chief of Police John Thomas has been temporarily reassigned pending an examination of UCLA’s security processes in the wake of a mob attacking a pro-Palestine encampment on campus weeks ago.
About the hearing
In a message to the UCLA campus community, Block wrote that accountability is critical to moving forward and he will speak honestly, and personally, about the challenges the university faces.
Support for LAist comes from
Block added that he will continue to insist that antisemitism, Islamophobia, anti-Arab hate, and any form of discrimination not be tolerated.
Committee Chair Virginia Foxx said in a statement that the committee has a clear message for “mealy-mouthed, spineless college leaders.”
“Congress will not tolerate your dereliction of your duty to your Jewish students,” Foxx said in a statement. “No stone must go unturned while buildings are being defaced, campus greens are being captured, or graduations are being ruined. College is not a park for playacting juveniles or a battleground for radical activists. Everyone affiliated with these universities will receive a healthy dose of reality: actions have consequences.”
You can watch the hearing here at 6:45 a.m. PT.
Tomorrow at 9:45 A.M. @UCLA @RutgersU @NorthwesternU pic.twitter.com/NXCH9ugEqk
— House Committee on Education & the Workforce (@EdWorkforceCmte) May 22, 2024
Campus security
UCLA confirmed in a statement that Thomas was temporarily reassigned earlier this week as the university conducts a thorough investigation aimed at improving safety for the campus community.
Support for LAist comes from
Block announced on May 5 that he’d immediately be moving the oversight of UCLA police and the Office of Emergency Management to the newly formed Office of Campus Safety, whose leader, Rick Braziel, reports directly to the chancellor.
Mary Osako, vice chancellor for UCLA Strategic Communications, confirmed in a statement that the Office of Campus Safety is leading the security examination.
Gawin Gibson, who was UCLA PD’s captain of the operations bureau, stepped in as acting chief of police on Tuesday.
How we got here
Block has faced criticism for how the campus encampment and protests against the war in Gaza were handled earlier this month.
Two hundred people, including about 10 staff, were arrested by hundreds of law enforcement officers in riot gear after the encampment was violently attacked by counterprotesters, leading to more than a dozen injuries.
Block ended up surviving a vote of no confidence and a censure resolution from the UCLA Academic Senate last Friday. Both moves looked to address his leadership throughout the campus protests.
Support for LAist comes from
UCLA announced last August that Block is set to retire July 31 after 17 years as chancellor.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
The utility, whose equipment is believed to have sparked the Eaton Fire, offers details of its plan to compensate victims for homes, businesses and other losses. -
The City Council will vote Tuesday on a proposal to study raising the pay for construction workers on apartments with at least 10 units and up to 85 feet high. -
The study found recipients spent nearly all the money on basic needs like food and transportation, not drugs or alcohol. -
Kevin Lee's Tokyo Noir has become one of the top spots for craft-inspired cocktails. -
A tort claim obtained by LAist via a public records request alleges the Anaheim procurement department lacks basic contracting procedures and oversight. -
Flauta, taquito, tacos dorados? Whatever they’re called, they’re golden, crispy and delicious.
Best of LAist