SB-2017-18-015: AS Genocide Remembrance Day

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Senate Bill No.: SB-2017-18-015


Date: April 24, 2018


Authored by: Rujjares Hansapiromchok, Chief Policy Advisor

Arthur Zverev, Chief Justice


Referred to: Internal Affairs Committee


Committee Rec: April 24, 2018


Senate Action: April 30, 2018 (21-0-0)


Title: A.S. Genocide Remembrance Day


1. WHEREAS: The Associated Students, Inc. (A.S.) is the official voice of over 40,000 students at California State University Northridge; and

2. WHEREAS: The Associated Students, Inc. is the primary advocate for students at California State University, Northridge and provides excellent, meaningful programs and services designed to create and enhance a spirited, learning-focused campus environment; and

3. WHEREAS: In accomplishing its mission, A.S. has a responsibility to be a positive influence on the community as a whole; and

4. WHEREAS: In achieving that mission, A.S. has the responsibility to inform students of key issues that affect our diverse communities; and

5. WHEREAS: Acknowledging the fact that CSUN caters to a large diverse university population; and
6. WHEREAS: A.S. represents students of all racial, ethnic, religious, and nationality background which strive to promote inclusion for all groups; and
7. WHEREAS: California State University, Northridge serves students from different culture and history, many of whom have family members who experienced firsthand the horror and evil of the Genocide and Mass Atrocities; and
8. WHEREAS: In the past, tens of millions of men, women, and children have lost their lives in genocide or mass atrocities. Millions have been tortured, raped or forced from their homes. These are the most atrocious violations of human rights in the history of the world; and
9. WHEREAS: Every student and person, regardless of ethnicity or national origin, should be made aware of and educated about the past genocides so that it and other state-sanctioned forms of ethnic cleansing may never happen again; and
10. WHEREAS: The Associated Students of California State University, Northridge applauds the persistent, ongoing efforts by any person in this country or abroad, to keep remembrance of the Genocide and Mass Atrocities; therefore let it be
1. RESOLVED: That the Associated Students, Inc. hereby designates the first Senate meeting of April as the “Day of Commemoration for Genocides and Mass Atrocities,” and let it be further

2. RESOLVED: In addition to holding a ‘moment of silence’ at that Senate meeting, the Associated Students, Inc. will inform all Senators and Cabinet members about the past Genocides in places such as Democratic Republic of Congo, Armenia, Germany, Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia, Darfur, and Burma/Myanmar; and let it be further

3. RESOLVED: On the date of the special meeting, Associated Students, Inc. will conduct a tradition of the rose ceremony in memory of the genocide victims, whose descendants play an integral role in today’s CSUN community; and let it be further

4. RESOLVED: That A.S. student leadership be informed about the definition of Genocide and Mass Atrocities. Genocide: Any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such: (a) Killing members of the group; (b) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group; (c) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part; (d) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group; (e) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group; and let it be further

5. RESOLVED: That Mass Atrocities is a term used to refer to war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. Due to the specific legal definitions attributed to each of these individual crimes, the term ‘mass atrocities’ is used as a catchall phrase to describe, more often than not, widespread targeted attacks against civilians. Crimes against humanity are acts committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population, with knowledge of the attack. War Crimes include grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions and other serious violations of the laws and customs applicable in international armed conflict and in conflicts “not of an international character” listed in the Rome Statute, when they are committed as part of a plan or policy or on a large scale; and let it be further

6. RESOLVED: On the date of the senate meeting, Associated Students, Inc. will host an event after the meeting to show solidarity and support to all the communities who have been affected by genocide and mass atrocities at California State University, Northridge; and let it be further

7. RESOLVED: That A.S. student leadership advocates for faculty senate to pass similar resolution to recognize the past atrocious genocides and encourage California State University, Northridge to take actions to prevent future genocides; and let it be further

8. RESOLVED: That the Associated Students, Inc. commends its conscientious educators who teach about human rights, genocides, and mass atrocities; and let it be further

9. RESOLVED: That copies of this resolution be distributed widely, including but not limited to the following:

  • CSU Board of Trustees
  • California State Student Association
  • Dr. Dianne Harrison, President, CSUN
  • Dr. Yi Li, Provost
  • Dr. William Watkins, Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students
  • Adam Swenson, President, Faculty Senate
  • David Crandall, General Manager
  • Leanne Vincent, Coordinator of Student Leadership
  • The Sundial
  • CSUN Today
  • U.S. Federal, State, and Local government representatives