Editor’s Note: City on a Hill Press has endorsed the letter delivered to UC Santa Cruz Administration and authored by the Cultural Arts and Diversity (CAD) Board of Directors
Since the inception of the African American Theater Arts Troupe (AATAT), the first and only of its kind within the UC system, students have fought for its place at UC Santa Cruz. Yet, once again, administrative decisions to cut crucial roles threaten the future of the program.
In response, six students from the Cultural Arts and Diversity Resource Center (CAD) walked into Kerr Hall on Dec. 6 to deliver a letter to the administration. Endorsed by 16 student organizations, the letter asked the Chancellor for one thing:
Lift the hiring freeze on the positions of artistic director and assistant artistic director to preserve the only African-American theater arts troupe in the entire UC system.
The CAD Board of Directors in front of Kerr Hall following the delivery of their letter. From left to right: Ikem Okoh, Giovanna Fernandez, Sasha Miller, Ansh Chaudhari, Katelyn Twist, and Tavion Collins.
Without an artistic director, AATAT would not be able to provide leadership and mentorship, organize performances, or maintain a diverse community that helps attract and retain students at the university.
“It guarantees that AATAT and CAD won’t be sustainable in the foreseeable future,” said Ikem Okoh, a director on the CAD board.
The CAD board was followed by 29 student leaders from across campus. Together, they walked from the Student Union to Kerr Hall, where CAD directors presented the letter to associate vice chancellor (AVC) for student health and wellness and chief well-being officer John Bollard.
It was clear to many students that UCSC’s budget crisis was responsible for not just this situation, but also for an onslaught of cuts to vital positions and programs for students.
“I think the university is hurting right now, with the deficit and debt issues, but it’s important to remember that none of that is our fault,” Okoh said. “We’re not responsible for that and it’s the university’s issue to fix, and in the midst of that crisis they’re looking for any rugs they can pull to sort of pick up the pieces. But that doesn’t mean that they disenfranchise people of color and students of color at their university with limited resources as is.”
Students supporting CAD march from Redwood Groove to the front of Kerr Hall.
The CAD board talks to AVC Bollard inside Kerr Hall while the rest of the student leaders wait outside.
Outside Kerr Hall, students exchanged words of solidarity, plans to follow up with UCSC administration, and stories of other student organizations facing threats amidst the ongoing budget deficit. Wumi Ogunlade, who serves as vice president of diversity and inclusion on the Student Union Assembly (SUA), detailed the growing disconnect between administration and students.
“In our last SUA meeting with the chancellor and a bunch of other admin, John Bollard himself had [said] they’re prioritizing the Ethnic Resource Centers (ERCs) and the programming of the ERCs,” CAD being one of these ERCs on campus.
Ogunlade noted that this sentiment did not reflect reality:
“I talked to the Arts director and programming was cut 50 percent due to the budget deficit. But [Bollard] was there in the meeting telling us that programming is running as effectively as it was last year, which is not true.”
Student leaders circling outside to share the news as well as discuss their feelings and the best way to move forward.
Two members of the CAD board with SOMeCA Director Sayo Fujioka considering what Bollard had told them.
Nearly a month after the delivery of the letter, CAD posted an update on their Instagram, including the university’s response. Chancellor Larive had replied to their letter through email, and confirmed that the artistic director position was approved for recruitment, though only offered “proposed solutions” to fund the assistant director role rather than funding it outright.
Despite the $98,000 already allocated for the assistant director position by students in 2022, Larive stated that “there are no funds available for that position or its benefits.” She proposed that funds that cover the salary of the assistant director/program manager could be used for benefits for the director position, and remaining money from student fees could be used to hire the assistant director.
In response, the CAD board said the reallocation of funds was “unacceptable” and limits the resource center’s ability to maintain its capacity to support students on campus. The board is currently coordinating a meeting with dean of students Garrett Naiman and AVC for student health and wellness and chief well-being officer John Bollard to further address their concerns.
“The uncertainty over benefits, and the uncertainty over the assistant director position,
has already led to candidates questioning if they would apply to the artistic director role,” the board states in their letter. “The current situation is sending a troubling message about the university’s priorities and its support.”
Editor’s note: As of publication of this article, both positions have yet to be filled.