See updated story.

Chancellor Linda Katehi is calling on the Campus Council on Community and Diversity to consider developing a plan of action to help lead UC Davis toward becoming a “hate-free campus.”

Katehi said recent acts of hatred and intolerance committed on the Davis campus have prodded her to recognize that the entire campus community of students, staff and faculty must work together to raise everyone’s awareness of the Principles of Community and how to live and learn in a way that encourages understanding and acceptance.

“It is time for our university and campus community to come together to confront head-on this sort of regrettable and reprehensible behavior, not only with words but with a coordinated set of actions,” Katehi said in announcing her proposal. “The campus council is the right place — and this is the right time — to focus the ongoing dialogue on a long-term plan for making our campus a safe, welcoming and supportive community.”

Katehi’s comments followed the discovery earlier this week of a sixth swastika on the campus, found carved into a hallway bulletin board at a residence hall.

Five other swastikas have been found in recent weeks, one carved on the door of a Jewish student’s dorm room and four more spray-painted around campus: on the Centennial Walk through the Quad, on the Social Sciences and Humanities Building, on the brick entry sign along A Street, and on the TB106 facility.

In addition, a spray-paint attack the weekend of Feb. 26 defaced the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Resource Center with such words as “homos,” “fags” and “queers.”

Chief Annette Spicuzza said the Police Department is vigorously investigating all the recent acts of hate on campus, and will seek prosecution of those responsible to the full extent of the law, including penalty enhancements for hate crimes.

Spicuzza urged anyone with information about this or any other hateful acts on campus to call the Police Department at (530) 752-1727. People who wish to remain anonymous may call the 24-hour Crime Tip Line: (530) 752-9944.

Emergency meeting

On March 11, the Campus Council on Community and Diversity (cccd.ucdavis.edu) held an emergency session regarding the hateful acts. The council, which serves as an advisory group to the chancellor and provost, discussed ideas put forward at a March 1 town hall meeting about the incidents as well as recommendations that the Black Student Union carried to the administration in a protest on March 10.

Council co-chair Rahim Reed, associate executive vice chancellor for Campus Community Relations, said the council discussed the need for developing a permanent committee to respond immediately to incidents of hate and bias, and to work proactively to make the campus community safer and more welcoming for everyone at all times.

Reed said he expects the campus council to take up the chancellor’s “hate-free campus” proposal at its next meeting, during which the council also will consider the discussions begun at the March 11 emergency meeting and consider adding student leaders and others to the permanent committee. No date had been set for the meeting, but Reed said he hopes to schedule it for the first week of the spring quarter, which begins March 29.A resident adviser in Kearney Hall reported the latest swastika to police at about 11:55 p.m. Sunday. The swastika, about 5 inches high by 3 inches wide, may have been carved into the bulletin board earlier but covered by fliers, according to police.

Investigators took crime scene photos and fingerprints and removed the bulletin board as evidence.

“This sort of reprehensible behavior is an affront to all of us,” said Fred Wood, vice chancellor for Student Affairs. “We must collectively and absolutely be committed to abiding by our Principles of Community.”

The Principles of Community (principles.ucdavis.edu) are a UC Davis statement of ideals that reject intolerance and set the standard for an environment of civility and respect.

“We must be bold in addressing these and all other acts of hate and prejudice,” Wood said. “We must make our community more inclusive and welcoming. Everyone has the right to feel safe here.”

On the morning of March 15, the Student Housing office sent a letter to the Kearney Hall residents, advising them of the swastika’s discovery and emphasizing the hatefulness of the symbol. The letter asked the residents to be on the lookout for people committing such acts.

Katehi denounced the recent acts of hate in open letters to the campus community on Feb. 24 and March 1. And she joined all of the UC chancellors, UC President Mark G. Yudof and the leaders of the Academic Senate in a joint letter condemning “all acts of racism, intolerance and incivility.”

At the request of the chair of the UC Board of Regents, Katehi and the chancellors of the other affected campuses will submit reports at the regents’ meeting this month, detailing the incidents and the actions being taken to ensure that these types of acts do not occur in the future.

Where to find help

Campus Violence Prevention Program, educational programs to reduce incidents of sexual violence, relationship violence and hate-related activity, and support services for people affected by violence: cvpp.ucdavis.edu

Counseling and Psychological Services, for students: (530) 752-0871 or caps.ucdavis.edu

Academic and Staff Assistance Program, counseling for faculty and staff: (530) 752-2727 or hr.ucdavis.edu/worklife-wellness/ASAP

 ‘Civility tour’ coming here.