Approximately 120 Long Beach State faculty members signed a letter to CSU officials on August 1, asking them to reject the Statewide University Police Association’s demand for an investigation of professor Steven Osuna.
The president of SUPA, Matt Kroner, accused Osuna for “knowingly causing a false and stigmatizing complaint of racial bias” in a letter to the CSU board of trustees on July 12.
The letter referred to when Osuna accused campus police of racial bias after an officer refused to help the professor when he was locked out of his building without identification.
Kroner said there was no racial bias in this situation because the officer is also a minority.
“Given the accused officer is a person of color, these false allegations of racism are even more harmful,” Kroner wrote. “Dr. Osuna has knowingly tarnished this officer, the entire Long Beach State Police Department, and the campus by publicly announcing false claims of racial profiling and racial discrimination.”
In their joint letter defending the professor, white CSULB faculty members attested to Osuna’s situation, saying they have experienced no issues with campus police when locked out of their building without an ID.
Karissa Miller, an assistant professor of psychology at CSULB, recalled two occasions when she had been locked out of her office and had to call campus police.
“I had no trouble with them,” Miller said. “I didn’t have any ID outside with me, and I don’t recall being asked to show ID after the door was unlocked.”
Ron Loewe, a CSULB anthropology professor, said he had locked himself out of his building “at least half a dozen times.”
“In all the years I’ve taught here, I’ve never been told about a campus policy prohibiting an officer from unlocking a faculty office or requiring us to show an ID,” Loewe said.
Professor Loewe is a sitting executive board member for the California Faculty Association of Long Beach, a social justice labor union organized to fight against racism.
Kroner also accused CFA Long Beach of knowingly releasing a false statement in Osuna’s support. The president of SUPA said the “libelous statement” from CFA Long Beach is intended to “discredit the police department.”
The joint faculty letter said SUPA’s letter was an attack on “faculty of color, academic freedom, and an employee’s right to file labor grievances.”
Osuna said he appreciates the solidarity and support from his fellow colleagues and community.
“The open letter demonstrates that my incident with UPD is not an isolated one. It is beyond the individual officer,” Osuna said. “There is a need for systemic change.”
