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Votes to censure, express no confidence in Gene Block fail in UCLA Academic Senate

Chancellor Gene Block is pictured. The UCLA Academic Senate failed to reach the required vote amount of 50% plus one in favor to pass the resolutions to censure and express no confidence in Block. (Jeremy Chen/Photo editor)

By Catherine Hamilton

May 17, 2024 6:16 p.m.

This post was updated May 19 at 11:05 p.m.

The UCLA Academic Senate failed to pass both a vote to censure and a vote of no confidence in Chancellor Gene Block in its Thursday meeting. 

The resolution of no confidence in Block received 43% of votes in favor, and the resolution to censure Block received 50% of votes in favor, according to an email sent to senate faculty from Linda Sarna, the senate’s secretary. Both failed to reach the required vote count of 50% plus one vote to pass.

The votes were called by the former, current and incoming Academic Senate chairs following the violent attack against the Palestine solidarity encampment April 30 and the morning of May 2 forceful police-led sweep of Dickson Plaza, where the now-dismantled encampment was located. 

[Related: UCLA Academic Senate continues debate on Gene Block’s censure, no-confidence votes]

The no-confidence vote received 79 votes in favor, with 103 against and five abstentions. Seven members who were present did not vote.

The censure vote received 88 in favor, 88 against and three abstentions. Fifteen members who were present did not vote.

In a separate email to faculty members, Academic Senate Chair Andrea Kasko said it is obvious that faculty are not “united” in their views of the administration’s response to “major events of the past weeks.”

“I hope that we can try to find common ground as colleagues, and have the courage to listen with open minds and open hearts even when we do not agree,” Kasko said in the email.

In a press release sent by UCLA Faculty for Justice in Palestine following the announcement of the vote, the group called for immediate action, UCLA’s divestment from companies associated with Israel and amnesty for protesters. It also called for the immediate resignation of Block.

FJP also expressed support for the United Auto Workers Local 4811 union, which passed a vote to authorize a strike Wednesday. The statement said FJP members believe faculty have the right to take action if UCLA fails to bargain in good faith with the union. 

“We, Faculty for Justice in Palestine, agree: we do not have confidence in Gene Block’s leadership,” the group said in the statement.

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Catherine Hamilton
Hamilton was the 2023-2024 News editor and a Copy staff member. She was previously the 2022-2023 national news and higher education beat editor and a national news contributor.
Hamilton was the 2023-2024 News editor and a Copy staff member. She was previously the 2022-2023 national news and higher education beat editor and a national news contributor.
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