CSUN Faculty Senate Statement Against Anti-Asian Violence, Racism, & Sexism

Adapted from CSUDH & CSUF Academic Senate Statements Against Anti-Asian Violence, Racism, & Sexism

(Approved by the Faculty Senate, April 8, 2021)

WHEREAS: Harassment and violence against Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) persons, families and communities have increased since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic due to inflammatory and racist rhetoric, most notably 58% of Asian adults said it was more common for people to express racist or racially insensitive views about people who were Asian than it had been before the coronavirus outbreak (PEW Research Center, 2020), 

WHEREAS: This nation’s history of White supremacy, misogyny, systemic racism, imperialism, and colonialism undergird the environment of hate, intolerance, and violence against Asian Americans; and, 

WHEREAS: The increase in hate crimes against Asians is a direct result of White supremacist, anti-Asian xenophobia and the myth of “yellow peril” that have persisted to the present, maintaining the perception of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders as “perpetual foreigners”; and, 

WHEREAS: The increase in hate crimes against women of Asian descent cannot be separated from the racism and sexism represented and is also a direct result of the hypersexualization and fetishization of Asian women and other women of color; and, 

WHEREAS: The current sociopolitical context fosters and reinforces violence of many forms against APIDA people as well as perpetuating and encouraging systemic discrimination and institutionalized racism and sexism; therefore, be it 

RESOLVED: That the Faculty Senate of California State University Northridge (CSUN) condemn the violent attacks against our colleagues and the broader community APIDA community; and be it further,

RESOLVED: That the CSUN Faculty Senate join other faculty and academic senates across the CSU in condemning acts of hate, violence and aggression towards APIDA persons by individuals, institutions, and local, state, and federal government agencies in the United States; and be it further, 

RESOLVED: That CSUN Faculty Senate call upon campus leadership to take meaningful actions to broaden and sustain anti-racism actions, education, resources, and policies, such as those outlined in the Message from the Asian American Studies on Anti-Asian Violence https://www.csun.edu/humanities/asian-american-studies,

RESOLVED: That the CSUN Faculty Senate, pledge to be partners in facilitating antiracism work at CSUN and in the community, and be it further,

RESOLVED: That the CSUN Faculty Senate recommend to faculty, students, staff, and administrators to benefit from resources such as anti-bias and anti-racism training, pedagogy workshops, and cocurricular events; and be it further, 

RESOLVED: That CSUN Faculty Senate pledge that as faculty leaders, community members, teachers, scholars, and mentors we will work determinedly toward transforming CSUN so that all campus stakeholders are empowered to take anti-racist/anti-sexist action and bring an equity minded lens to build a better future for our communities, our nation, and our world.