UC Berkeley Chancellor Rich Lyons and his cabinet addressed the ASUC Senate in his semesterly address on Wednesday. Lyons focused on two issues: concerns for free speech and expression, and quality of student life.<\/p>\n
The address, which lasted a little more than an hour, had Lyons answer a slew of questions, including topics ranging from the suspensions<\/a> of computer science lecturer Peyrin Kao and director of the Chicanx Latinx Student Development office Lupe Gallegos-Diaz<\/a>, profiling<\/a> of pro-Palestinian activists by UCPD and UC Regent Jay Sures\u2019 failure to denounce<\/a> Islamophobia at a conference he attended.<\/p>\n Lyons defended campus policy and said administration does not discriminate against the free speech of specific political stances.<\/p>\n In the back of the Senate chambers stood about 15 silent protesters holding pro-Palestinian signs. After the meeting adjourned, the protesters began to chant \u201cFree Palestine.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt is clear that a good number of you perceive inconsistent and viewpoint-dependent enforcement of our rules,\u201d Lyons said. \u201cThat\u2019s a cause for concern because we are not aware of any event that was canceled or prevented from happening due to the perspectives of the organizers and\/or the participants.\u201d<\/p>\n ASUC Transfer Representative Varsha Torpunuri asked the first question of the meeting, saying questions about Kao have been answered with \u201croundabout\u201d replies. Lyons replied that, while he admits it seems like avoidance of the question, he is legally obligated not to speak on the details surrounding Kao\u2019s case.<\/p>\n Lyons passed the question to Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Benjamin E. Hermalin, who cited Academic Personnel Manual code 015, prohibiting faculty from bringing up topics that do not pertain to the class, as well as Regents Policy 2301 which prohibits \u201cpolitical indoctrination\u201d in the classroom.<\/p>\n In response to questions of student-protester profiling and harassment of Muslim students, Lyons and his cabinet urged students to report to the Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination, or OPHD.<\/p>\n \u201cHere is my promise to you: UC Berkeley has and will remain (in) an unwavering commitment to protecting your First Amendment rights in a completely viewpoint-neutral manner,\u201d Lyons said. \u201cWe have those rules to ensure that the exercise of expressive rights does not interfere with the rights of others.\u201d<\/p>\n Lyons and his cabinet were later questioned on the suspension of Lupe Gallegos-Diaz, the director of the Chicanx Latinx Student Development Office, and how campus is advocating for undocumented students.<\/p>\n