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UCLA Faculty Decide Not To Rebuke Chancellor Gene Block Over Handling Of Protests
Gene Block has been UCLA chancellor since 2007. He plans to retire in 2024.
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Amanda Friedman/UCLA web site
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Topline:
The UCLA Academic Senate rejected a bid to vote "no confidence" in Chancellor Gene Block, and also rejected a censure. Both resolutions were designed to address Block's leadership through recent campus protests.
What's the debate? Faculty were considering whether Block failed to lead during and after counterprotestors attacked students in a pro-Palestinian encampment.
Who voted: The legislative assembly of UCLA's academic senate voted Thursday night, and released the results Friday evening. According to a notice from Academic Senate Secretary Linda Sarna, faculty rejected the vote of no confidence 103-79, with some members abstaining or voting present. The censure measure came in at a tie, 88-88 with some members not voting, but needed a majority to pass.
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What did the resolutions mean? A censure is a public rebuke. Faculty at the University of Southern California recently censured their president, Carol Folt, over similar concerns. But UCLA faculty also considered a vote of "no confidence," which would have meant the faculty had lost faith in Block.
What happens now? Block announced last year that he'd retire this summer.
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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.
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