UCLA Failed to Protect Students During Protest Melee
A University of California independent review released Thursday found that UCLA failed to protect students during a protest melee this spring due to a “highly chaotic” decision-making process, a lack of communication among campus leaders and police, and other shortfalls.
A Call for Reforms
The review, conducted by a national law enforcement consulting agency, recommended that UCLA take key actions:
- Develop a detailed response plan
- Provide better training of civilian staff and police
- Increase real-time communications about campus disruptions
- Hire more civilians to help mediate conflicts before law enforcement is called in
‘Deeply Troubling’ Reports of Antisemitism
The independent review comes after two other major reports criticized UCLA for its protest response and amid “deeply troubling” reports of antisemitism on campus.
A report to the Los Angeles Police Commission found a confusing breakdown in coordinating actions among UCLA, the LAPD, California Highway Patrol and smaller municipal police agencies. The Republican-led U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce also criticized UCLA and other elite universities for “dramatic failures in confronting antisemitism.”
Institutional Paralysis
The review found that UCLA had no detailed plan for handling major protests, even as problems were “reasonably foreseeable.” UCLA leaders had not identified who should control decision-making and at times shut out campus police from meetings. For their part, campus police had no effective plan to work with external law enforcement and failed to take command on the night of the melee, leading the LAPD and the California Highway Patrol to devise an ad-hoc response.
Conclusion
The review provides a critical look at the failures that led to the institutional paralysis and the need for reform. UCLA has started making changes, including launching an Office of Campus Safety and hiring an associate vice chancellor to lead it. In the long term, the review suggests that UCLA should convene a campuswide conversation to reach agreement on the proper role of police.
FAQs
Q: What was the outcome of the independent review?
A: The review found that UCLA failed to protect students during a protest melee this spring due to a “highly chaotic” decision-making process, a lack of communication among campus leaders and police, and other shortfalls.
Q: What did the review recommend?
A: The review recommended that UCLA develop a detailed response plan, provide better training of civilian staff and police, increase real-time communications about campus disruptions, and hire more civilians to help mediate conflicts before law enforcement is called in.
Q: What were the findings on antisemitism on campus?
A: The review comes amid “deeply troubling” reports of antisemitism on campus, including a report that found that 84% of Jewish students believed that antisemitism had “worsened or significantly worsened” since October 7, 2023, and that roughly 70% said the spring encampment was “a source of antisemitism.”
Q: What changes is UCLA making?
A: UCLA has started making changes, including launching an Office of Campus Safety and hiring an associate vice chancellor to lead it. The university has also started a campuswide conversation to reach agreement on the proper role of police.
