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Type
text
Identifier
CES ARC 2015/1 Carton 1 Folder 1 CES0074
Subject
Student movements Student strikes Third World Liberation Front (Berkeley, Calif.)
Source
Location
UC Berkeley Ethnic Studies Library
Transcription
THE CHRONOLOGY & BACKGROUND of the TWLF STRIKE
1873: University of California founded.
1967: 10% of the population of Calif. is black, 14% Mexican-American; 1.8% of the enrollment of Univ. of Calif. is black, .5%% Mexican-Am.
April 1968: Afro-American Student Union (AASU) presents Black Studies Department proposal to Chancellor who promises cooperation.
Aug. 1968: Dr. Billingsley appointed Assistant to the Chancellor to develop a black studies department proposal.
Nov. 1968: Billingsley's proposals, after undergoing three revisions to meet various academic objections, is submitted to the Chancellor who submits it to Dean Knight of the College of Letters & Sciences.
Dec. 3: Dean Knight refers proposal to Executive Comm. of the College
Dece. 1968: Executive Comm. meets on proposals; Dr. Billingsley and black students are excluded from all meetings; revisions made in proposal, including removal of community involvement program from its scope, omitting student participation in implementation, & deleting field work; committee deadlock on whether to have it as a department or just as a "program." All efforts by students to see changes being made are fruitless.
Jan. 10, 1969: Public discussion of the need for action by the AASU, including a possible strike, begins.
Discussion between AASU, Chicano, and Asian student groups result in the formulation of the united position.
Jan. 15: Dean Knight announces approval of Black Studies proposal as revised by the L & S Executive Committee, but recommends that it be a department. The proposal is rejected by the AASU.
Jan. 22: Strike begins. The demands are:
1. Funds be allocated for a Third World College. (Chicano & Asian studies now also involved; experience with possibility of a department within the College of Letters & Sciences thus far is highly unfavorable; the College has administrative advantages). It is not to be restricted to Third World students or faculty.
2. Third World people in positions & power. (Blacks & Browns are 24% of the state, but 1.21% of the Faculty, 9% of the employees and are in overwhelmingly low positions.)
3.a. Admission, financial aid, and academic assistance to all Third World students who can learn & contribute. (Opening of admission standards to redress present pattern & compensate for educational denials; note that this is currently a policy of the University of California Medical School.)
b,c,d: Fuller support of Work Study programs and positions and of the Center for Chicano Studies, now only temporary.
4. Third World control over Third World programs. (At this point this is the heart of the strike. Based on unwillingness to have Third World programs for Third World students to benefit Third World communities which are run or dominated by the all-white academic committees & structures of the university. Particular skepticism about L&S sympathy with the program.
5. No disciplinary action for strike participation.
Jan. 24: Fire in Wheeler Aud. Vigorous disclaimer by strike leaders. On 17 Feb. Fire Chief reports laboratory tests "failed to show supportive evidence of arson...no further lab. tests planned."
Jan. 27: Pres. Hitch warns that "implementation of ethnic studies departments & colleges must follow regular University procedures. No reason given.
Jan.: Unofficial report in the Daily Cal cites President's Commission on Violence as distinguishing sharply between private lawlessness and police lawlessness; in a democracy, private violation of law is to be controlled by appropriate action of the police, the prosecutor's office, and the courts; but lawlessness by the police themselves strikes at the roots of government by law and due process.
Feb. 5: Approval by Academic Senate of proposal for Black Studies Dept., earlier repudiated by black students; Prof. Blackwell, appointment as chairman of the committee to implement it, resigns; implementing committee never constituted.
Feb. 8: Tentative agreement between Chancellor's office & TWLF Progress Committee (2 students & 2 faculty from each group) arrived at but then repudiated; Chancellor claims TWLF repudiated its committee's agreement, TWLF faculty claim Chancellor said "key faculty" would not approve it.
Feb. 10: Campus-wide faculty Committee on Ethnic Studies (Prof. George Devos, Chair.) concludes "it seems to us the administrative unit known as the 'College' is the most appropriate vehicle for the development of minority programs."
Feb. 13: After increasing campus tension, sporadic violence, and clashes between strikers and police, and after Governor declares the State of Emergency at request of County Sheriff, unsought by the administration, "in full view of more than 1000 persons, sheriff's deputies arrested a picket line (AFT local 1570, TA's supporting TWLF goals) which was allowing persons to pass through it. And a Negro newsman was harrassed in the performance of his duties for more than half an hour by deputies and finally beaten and arrested,"--Berkeley Gazette City Editor. Stories signed by 12 university employees and independently by others recounted severe beatings by police in basement of Sproul of persons originally innocent bystanders or passers-by.
Feb. 20: Negotiations reach a stalemate on issue of powers of implementing committee. Chancellor says TWLF idea would "compromise the integrity of campus academic review procedures," and if TWLF won't work with his suggestion, "we will, of course seek other ways and other students and faculty members who are willing. Letter signed by 6 Third World faculty and administrators says, "it may be necessary to change the integrity of the review process in order to maintain our integrity as human beings."
Feb. 21: Governor quoted as saying student unrest amounts to guerilla warfare, the only way to stop it is to "eliminate" those who cause the trouble; "you have to eliminate them by firing the faculty and expelling the students."
Regents adopt Order providing for suspension and deprivation of financial benefits for anyone as to whom there is "reasonable cause to believe" he violated any campus rules, including those adopted under the emergency powers ordered to be invoked. Governor votes for it.
Feb. 24: After rallies on Sproul steps have been ordered cancelled by the administration on "suggestion" of the sherriff's office, permission is denied to use the Greek Theater or Harmon Gym for a TWLF class in lieu of picketing, as suggested by it.
Feb. 24: Faculty of College of Environmental Design Debate first four points of seven point resolution on the campus crisis.
--CED ACTION GROUP
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