Golden State Today

Ahead of her retirement at the end of next month, Chancellor Carol Christ reflected Thursday on her seven-year tenure leading UC Berkeley, recapping her proudest accomplishments and regrets. However, the encampment outside Sproul Hall and the protests sweeping college campuses nationwide were the focus of much of her final Campus Conversations event.

Christ outlined three goals: to enable students to take finals with minimal disruption, ensure that graduations proceed smoothly, and minimize escalation among protesters. “I believe that people have the right to protest, even though the protest is violating some of our time, place and manner rules,” Christ said. “You’re not allowed to camp on campus overnight. But it has been largely peaceful, and it has not been disrupting our operations. And so my stance is — as long as it stays peaceful and is not the site of pervasive harassment of others — to let the protest go on. At the same time, I’m in conversation with the leaders of the protest, trying to figure out how we can move forward.”

Christ acknowledged concerns about safety near the encampment, which has grown over two weeks on Savio Steps and around Sproul Hall, occasionally drawing counter-protesters and minor scuffles. To address this, the campus set up the Wayfinders program to provide guides for those who feel uncomfortable walking through Sproul Plaza alone.

Comparing current protests to those in the 1960s, Christ noted a significant difference: today's conflicts often involve students against other students rather than just against campus leaders or politicians. She expressed concern that this dynamic threatens higher education's role as a forum for diverse ideas.

“We are trying to do our best to assure an environment that does not discriminate or harass,” Christ said, “but that doesn’t mean protect you from opinions with which you may very sharply disagree.” She highlighted several initiatives aimed at addressing challenges involving free speech and political expression, including a new class for incoming students about free speech and programs training students in discussing challenging topics.

“If we cannot do that, I think we are lost as an academic institution,” Christ said. “It is so important to a democracy and to the university to have the capacity to talk about ideas about which we may disagree.”

She attributed some difficulties in fostering open dialogue to social media and pandemic-induced isolation.

Reflecting on her tenure as chancellor — initially expected to last fewer than five years — Christ expressed pride in significant increases in student housing construction. She cited projects like Anchor House for transfer students and xučyun ruwway housing complex for graduate students as major milestones. Additionally, she took pride in overseeing the Light the Way fundraising campaign that raised $7.3 billion for campus capital projects.

On regrets, Christ mentioned ongoing efforts toward diversity, equity, and inclusion goals but acknowledged more work remains. She pointed out high school inequities affecting new students' opportunities at Berkeley and emphasized creating a shared sense of belonging for everyone.

Despite progress with Indigenous communities, Christ wished for more success in repatriating Indigenous ancestral remains. “I think it is a terrible violation of those ancestors, to have them here,” she said. “I want to return them as soon as we can. That’s been slower than I would have hoped.”

Thanking staff members who helped navigate challenges such as the pandemic; protests over racial justice; controversial speakers; wars in the Middle East; and budget shortfalls during her tenure, Christ noted resilience within UC Berkeley.

“It’s easy...to feel like Chicken Little and think the sky is falling,” she said. “But in fact, the university has always faced challenges and...overcome those challenges very well.” Reflecting on scientific breakthroughs at Berkeley amidst broader higher education challenges using Charles Dickens’ opening line from A Tale of Two Cities: “It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.”

“I think we’re at one of those moments where there are some extraordinarily wonderful things happening...and some extraordinarily painful and difficult things happening,” she said.

As for retirement plans? Christ will board a London-bound plane on June 30 with her son and two granddaughters. Beyond travel plans include reading, writing, and playing viola while continuing her engagement with higher education issues.

“Higher education is my life,” she said. “I’m not going to stop thinking about higher education [or] writing about higher education...But I believe when you leave a job you leave a job.”