UCSC's Academic Senate held it's winter quarter meeting today (Wednesday, February 19), voting overwhelmingly for a resolution opposing "unilateral US Military intervention in Iraq". The vote was 58-0 with two members of the senate abstaining.

The resolution was drafted by the UCSC Student peace coalition, Standing United for Peace. On November 12th, the UCSC Student Union Assembly passed a similar resolution, and the Santa Cruz city council was the first city to pass a resolution opposing the war (92 other US cities have such passed similar resolutions). The only other university i could find who's faculty have passed a similar resolution is the University of Wisconsin- Plattville.

Thank you to all the faculty members who participated.

Next step: Santa Cruz seceeds from the union?

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Resolution Against U.S. Military Intervention in Iraq

TO: THE ACADEMIC SENATE, SANTA CRUZ DIVISION

WHEREAS: no proven link has been made between the attacks on September 11, 2001 and the government of Iraq, and

WHEREAS: unilateral action against Iraq by the United States would undermine the basic foundations of international law, and

WHEREAS: diplomatic solutions have not been exhausted and the international community has not lent its support for war against Iraq, and

WHEREAS: a war with Iraq would jeopardize the lives of American soldiers and innocent civilians, and

WHEREAS: a war with Iraq would jeopardize the lives of Iraqi civilians who have already suffered enormously under the current Iraqi regime, United Nations sanctions and US/UK bombings , and

WHEREAS: a war with Iraq would further aggravate the situation in the Middle East, possibly leading to a wider, regional war, and

WHEREAS: a war with Iraq would escalate anti-American sentiment, increasing support for Al-Queda and other extremist groups, threatening the safety of people around the world, including Americans, and

WHEREAS: this war will cost billions of US taxpayer dollars and has the potential to stall and threaten the stability of the US economy, and

WHEREAS: the United States government estimates a war could cost up to $200 billion, increasing a defense budget that is already almost seven times that of the education budget;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:

THAT the University of California, Santa Cruz Academic Senate is firmly opposed to U.S. military intervention in Iraq.