<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div>Dear Colleagues,</div><div><br></div><div>I am reaching out to request your consideration in signing a statement that has been prepared by a group of UC faculty, seeking endorsement from the wider UC faculty community. The statement can be accessed through the link below.</div><div><font face="ArialMT"></font></div><div style="font-family: ArialMT;"><br></div><div style="font-family: ArialMT;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(70, 120, 134); color: rgb(70, 120, 134); font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.666667px;"><u><a href="https://forms.gle/XzxaBH6NSPfrFN84A">https://forms.gle/XzxaBH6NSPfrFN84A</a></u></b></div><div style="font-family: ArialMT;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(70, 120, 134); color: rgb(70, 120, 134); font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.666667px;"><br></b></div><div>Numerous faculty have already signed in support of this statement. We need thousands more if this is going to make a difference. Please consider signing and sending Numerous faculty members have already signed in support of this statement, but we need thousands more if it is to make a meaningful impact. Please consider signing and sharing it with colleagues at UCR and across other UC campuses. However, <b>we ask that you refrain from sharing it with anyone outside the UC faculty. </b>This initiative is led by faculty, exercising our academic freedom to speak out as educators, not as representatives of the administration.<br><br></div><div>The request to keep this confidential is to prevent the letter from being leaked to the press. A letter without strong endorsement would likely have little impact, or could even have a negative effect. </div><div><strong data-start="60" data-end="136"><br></strong></div><div><strong data-start="60" data-end="136">Please note that you may sign as "Anonymous" instead of using your name.</strong></div><div><p data-start="138" data-end="279">Thank you to those who have already signed. For those who have not yet done so, we kindly encourage you to consider endorsing this statement.</p></div><div><font color="#000000">Best regards,</font></div><div><font color="#000000"><br></font></div><div><font color="#000000">Isgouhi</font></div><div><br></div><div>
<div dir="auto" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;">Isgouhi Kaloshian (she/her/hers)<br>Professor<br>Department of Nematology<br>Institute for Integrative Genome Biology<br>University of California<br>Riverside, CA 92521<br><br><br></div></div></div></div></div>
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<div><br><blockquote type="cite"><div>Begin forwarded message:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1.0);"><b>From: </b></span><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Walter Leal <wsleal@ucdavis.edu><br></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1.0);"><b>Subject: </b></span><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Stand Up for Our Core Values</b><br></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1.0);"><b>Date: </b></span><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;">April 5, 2025 at 11:34:51 AM PDT<br></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1.0);"><b>To: </b></span><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Walter Leal <wsleal@ucdavis.edu><br></span></div><br><div><meta charset="UTF-8"><div class="elementToProof" style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; text-align: left; line-height: 1.38; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0in 0in 8pt; font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Dear UC Colleagues,</div><div class="elementToProof" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; text-align: left; line-height: 1.38; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0in 0in 8pt; font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="">In a campus speech yesterday, President Obama<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134);"><u><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/04/us/politics/obama-trump-college-speech.html" id="OWAd67bcc14-af13-861d-f067-911af2db4b7a" class="x_OWAAutoLink" title="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/04/us/politics/obama-trump-college-speech.html" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134); margin: 0px;">urged universities to resist</a></u></span><span style=""> federal government attacks that undermine academic freedom. We at UC have been striving to do just that.</span></div><div class="elementToProof" style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; text-align: left; line-height: 1.38; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0in 0in 8pt; font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><i>Apologies if you receive this note in duplicate.</i> </div><div class="elementToProof" style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; text-align: left; line-height: 1.38; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0in 0in 8pt; font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">On Monday, we submitted a petition to the Academic Senate, requesting that a resolution be placed on the Senate floor for debate and a vote. However, yesterday, the Senate informed us that the Council had declined to include the proposed resolution in the agenda for the upcoming Assembly meeting on April 23.</div><div class="elementToProof" style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; text-align: left; line-height: 1.38; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0in 0in 8pt; font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">While there is room for discussion regarding the Council's authority to decline the petition, and acknowledging that time is of the essence, we are proceeding with a public statement in our individual capacities (not representing the university).</div><div class="elementToProof" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; text-align: left; line-height: 1.38; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0in 0in 8pt; font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="">I kindly ask that you<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><b>share the following link with other UC faculty members</b>. However,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="color: rgb(200, 38, 19);"><b>please don't share it with anyone outside the UC faculty circle</b></span><span style=""> until the embargo is lifted on<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><b>Friday, April 12, at noon</b>. By then, the Academic Senate may release its proposed statement, and we will decide on the best course of action. </span></div><div class="elementToProof" style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; text-align: left; line-height: 1.38; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0in 0in 8pt; font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(70, 120, 134);"><b><u><a href="https://forms.gle/XzxaBH6NSPfrFN84A" id="OWAd1b2384f-0d1c-24ed-d6bb-d22102677fec" class="x_OWAAutoLink" title="https://forms.gle/XzxaBH6NSPfrFN84A" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="1" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134); margin: 0px;">https://forms.gle/XzxaBH6NSPfrFN84A</a></u></b></div><div class="elementToProof" style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; text-align: left; line-height: 1.38; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0in 0in 8pt; font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Let’s stand together in defense of our core values.</div><div class="elementToProof" style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; text-align: left; line-height: 1.38; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0in 0in 8pt; font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Walter Leal</div><div class="elementToProof" style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br></div><div class="elementToProof" id="Signature" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: ArialMT; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><div style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><b>Walter S. Leal, Ph.D., FRES (Hon), FNAI</b></div><div style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Distinguished Professor, MCB, UC Davis</div><div style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><img id="image_0" height="69" data-outlook-trace="F:1|T:1" style="width: 69px; height: 69px; max-width: 354px;" alt="Outlook-jeak5hmc.png" src="cid:c9979d87-4f43-42a5-8628-0c56c374f2b5"></div><div style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Phone: 530-752-7755</div></div></div></blockquote></div><br></body></html>