UC Riverside reaches agreement with Pro-Palestinian groups; calls for 'peaceful end' to encampment

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KABC) -- UC Riverside Chancellor Kim Wilcox announced a formal agreement between the university and Students for Justice in Palestine containing concessions that led to the promise of a peaceful end to the "solidarity encampment'' to protest Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip.

"I am pleased to share that we have reached an agreement that will result in the peaceful conclusion of the encampment by no later than midnight tonight,'' Wilcox said late Friday morning. "[The] agreement ... will be carried out consistent with state and federal law. It has been my goal to resolve this matter peacefully, and I am encouraged by this outcome - which was generated through constructive dialogue."

Wilcox emphasized that UCR "values students' right to practice peaceful free speech.''

"This agreement does not change the realities of the war in Gaza ... However, I am grateful that we can have constructive and peaceful conversations on how to address these complex issues,'' he said, citing "antisemitism and Islamaphobia'' as ongoing concerns.

What's in the agreement?

The agreement spelled out a brief list of actions now on the front-burner for campus administrators, the Academic Senate and Associated Students of UCR generally.

One of the principal items the parties agreed to address was the current orientation of UCR's endowment to the University of California Investments Office.

The UCR chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine included in its demands at the outset of the encampment a withdrawal of any funding "in weapons manufactures and the Israeli genocidal machine.''

The new agreement specifies that a "full disclosure of the list of companies in the (investment) portfolio'' will be made publicly available, and the parties unanimously stipulated that any future endowment should be finalized "in a manner that will be financially and ethically sound for the university.''

"Our first demand, divestment, which means we will have financial advisors and investors ensure that we will meet weekly and maintain communication to properly invest our money and ensure that it's being spent ethically, disclosing our finances will be available to the public shortly, which means we will be able to see where our money's going within the UC system," said a member of the UCR chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine.

A task force composed of students and faculty will present a report on the matter to the UCR Board of Trustees next winter. UCR said its School of Business has now discontinued "Global Programs'' in Israel, as well as other countries.

"UCR will modify its approval process for all study-abroad programs to ensure compliance with UC's Anti-Discriminatory Policies,'' the compact stated.

Signatories to the agreement included Wilcox, several vice chancellors and UCR-Students for Justice in Palestine President Hibah Nassar and her fellow negotiator, Samia Alkam, a PhD student.

The close of the UCR encampment was in marked contrast to events at UCLA, where riot gear-clad police stormed the grounds to forcibly arrest and eject student protesters Thursday.

You can read the full agreement here.

GOP lawmakers call for revocation of financial aid for student protesters who commit violence

California Republican lawmakers are calling for the revocation of financial aid for any student protesters who commit acts of violence during demonstrations on college campuses.

The proposal was introduced Thursday by GOP lawmakers in the state Legislature. Universities that allow violence to happen would also be penalized if the proposal were to become law.

Supporters of the legislation say school administrators should also be fired for what they allow to happen on their campuses. The proposal faces long odds in the Democratic-controlled Legislature.

Jewish groups promote state antisemitism plan

Several Jewish groups, including the American Jewish Committee, held a news conference in L.A. Friday promoting the Golden State Plan To Counter Antisemitism.

Many have been critical of the way UCLA responded to this week's protest and blame Chancellor Gene Block.

"Now is the time and it is what we at ADL demand that Chancellor Block show leadership for those who violated codes of conduct, violated the law ... they should face consequences," said Jeffrey Abrams, the regional director of ADL Los Angeles.

One UCLA student spoke at the news conferencing, saying she has felt danger at school.

"Calls for the death of all Zionists, and something that I do think is really incredibly important to mention is that anti-Zionism is most definitely most definitely antisemitism," she said.

City News Service, Inc. and The Associated Press contributed to this report.