UC Berkeley community members will discuss what they think a new selection process for the next chancellor should look like at a town hall meeting Wednesday evening.
The town hall, which will occur at 7 p.m. in 155 Barrows, was organized by Students for a Democratic University — a student political party composed of Occupy Cal protesters and other students — in order to “decide on how to democratically select the next chancellor of UC Berkeley,” according to the party’s website.
“In the past, the president of the university has been responsible for creating a selection committee to pick a new chancellor,” the Facebook event for the town hall reads. “The selection committee is usually made up of regents and administrators. There was hardly any input from students, faculty and staff … This year, we want to come up with a more democratic process to elect a chancellor.”
Under university policy, a search committee appointed by UC President Mark Yudof is tasked with finding a new chancellor, a process that UC spokesperson Steve Montiel said in an email “provides for broad representation” by including faculty members and a graduate student and undergraduate student from the campus.
“Under the policy for appointing chancellors, a committee advises the UC president, who is responsible for recommending his appointment to the Regents for consideration and approval,” Montiel said in an email. “All representatives are expressly encouraged to participate fully in discussion and debate at meetings of this advisory committee.”
The new chancellor will take the position after current chancellor Robert Birgeneau steps down at the end of the calendar year. Birgeneau announced his resignation last month in an email to the campus community.
“We demand that the campus community is not only given nominal representation in the selection process, but that the decision is fully democratic,” the party said in a statement on its website. “We invite all members of the UC Berkeley community to attend this forum to decide what the selection process, which will unfold over the next several months, should look like.”
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I support this event. Democracy is American!
The fake Clownie is back. Don’t you have enough imagination to get your own handle?
I think the UC Administration is a joke, but having the Chancellor be chosen by the student body, BAMN, and whoever else sounds like the worst idea ever.
how about chosen by the entire student body, the entire faculty, the entire administration, and the entire staff?
How about not posting under my handle Clownie.
we are all libsrclowns.
In Berkeley, probably yes.
I know terrifying right? Having 18 year olds, who can vote in presidential elections and fight in the military, trusted with the ability to participate in selecting the chancellor of UC Berkeley. The sky may just fall.
…democratically select……LOL you have to be kidding. Only in Libville