Regarding the recent attacks on Associated Students Executive Director Marisela Marquez and Assistant A.S. Director Aaron Jones

           The faculty of the Department of Chicana/o Studies expresses sympathy with the position taken by El Congreso, the Humyn Rights Board, the Womyn’s Commission, SCORE, SIRRC, Queer Commission and others and expresses grave concern over the various events and actions taken against racial, ethnic, and gendered communities this academic year.  Muslim students have also been singled out and targeted.  While we are grateful for Vice-Chancellor for Student Affairs Dr. Margaret Klawunn’s sponsoring of greater dialogue through several forums, we recognize that certain students and student groups appear to be invested in the misrepresentation of diversity efforts on this campus. 

           Most recently, some students have called into question the integrity of the work of Associated Students (A.S.) Director Dr. Marisela Marquez and Assistant Director for Community Affairs, Student Engagement, and Advocacy Aaron Jones.  We unquestionably support the Associate Students Senate’s maintenance of democratic integrity by allowing student voices to be heard according to established processes, and in this specific case, we also appreciate that the democratic process itself voted down these unwarranted attacks on Marquez, Jones, and broader campus diversity efforts.

            The Chicana/o Studies Department emerged from struggles for a more just society.  We recognize and honor all those—including Dr. Marquez, Aaron Jones, and all others—who have transformed UCSB into what it is today—a leading, highly respected, top-tier research university.  Indeed, it is a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) which means more than 25% of its undergraduates are Chicana/o, Latina/o.  While significant, much more work needs to be done to diversify the campus at all levels—undergraduate, graduate, faculty, and staff.  We stand with all those working to continue transforming the campus, as well as the entire nation and world.