SACRAMENTO – Following last week’s violence and vandalism at UCLA and CSU Humboldt, Assembly Republican leaders – James Gallagher (R-Yuba City) and Vince Fong (R-Central Valley) – are calling for the Assembly to hold a hearing of the Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Accountability and Oversight to hear from university administrators about how these incidents played out and what plans are in place to prevent this chaos in the future. Parents and taxpayers deserve to hear directly from university leadership. Below is a copy of their letter; a PDF is available HERE:
May 6, 2024
The Honorable Avelino Valencia
Chair, Subcommittee No. 7 on Accountability and Oversight
1021 O Street, Suite 4120
Sacramento, CA 95814
Dear Chairman Valencia:
The violence and anti-Semitic hate at UCLA, CSU Humboldt and other taxpayer funded universities that unfolded last week is appalling and a shameful moment in our state’s history. Students have been – and continue to be – harmed physically, mentally and emotionally. The universities are incurring substantial costs for clean-up, security and other expenses. Hence, we ask you to conduct an oversight hearing to meet with university officials and discuss what happened and how universities prevent this type of chaos in the future.
Taxpayers deserve to know how the protesters were able to take over parts of the college campuses, including how groups were able to occupy and deface UCLA’s historic Royce Hall.
A college education is invaluable to the development of the individual and our society as a whole. Higher education promotes upward mobility and generational wealth for families especially those from impoverished backgrounds.
Students, however, cannot learn in environments where they face danger.
Freedom of speech is a constitutional right – that must be protected. Vandalism, harassment, intimidation, assault, and physically blocking students from attending classes is not freedom of speech.
Taxpayers want – and deserve – to hear from university administrators about how these incidents played out and what plans are in place to prevent this disruption in the future. It is imperative that the Legislature hold an oversight hearing to learn and understand what occurred so it will never happen again. Thank you for your consideration, and we look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Vince Fong James Gallagher
Assemblyman, 32nd District Assemblymember, 3rd District
Cc: Jesse Gabriel, Budget Chair
###