The University of California-Santa Barbara’s Social Sciences and Media Studies building is usually closed — as in locked — on Sundays, and there’s been a problem of late with transients hanging around campus.
So, when Film and Media Professor Greg Siegel saw Jihad Reeves coming out of a bathroom in the building, he asked him “Were you sleeping in here?” and “How did you get in?”
Reeves, who’s not a UCSB student but an actor who was in the building working on a student film, responded “No, were you sleeping in there?” and put on his headphones and walked away.
As a result, Professor Siegel contacted the campus the police.
Since Reeves is African-American, Siegel made two grievous errors — first by daring to ask Reeves how he got in the building, and then, of course, contacting security.
[After police left t]he crew attempted to go back to filming, but Reeves said he felt unsafe on campus and was unable to get into character, according to [student film director Quinnolyn] Benson-Yates. She then took Reeves to the Biko House in Isla Vista to decompress.
After the incident, [Film Department Chair Janet] Walker began arranging additional training addressing diversity, equity and academic policy within the department. She plans to invite María Herrera-Sobek, Associate Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity and Academic Policy, and Ariana C. Alvarez, Director of the Office of Equal Opportunity & Sexual Harassment/Title IX Compliance for a training session next academic year.
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However, students question whether these measures rectify the situation, as some who have heard about the incident interpreted it as racial profiling. “This puts more strain on the filmmakers rather than opening up a conversation about the heart of the incident,” Benson-Yates said.
Looking back at his emotions surrounding that day, Reeves said, “I wouldn’t say [I am] angry, because it’s not something I couldn’t expect from cops. But I will say [I am] disappointed, because I came out there to act. I didn’t come out there to party, to vacation or anything. I came there to work. And I can’t even do a role in a film that touches that subject matter without being harassed.”
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Indeed. As if simply answering the professor’s question wouldn’t have alleviated the situation, especially upon learning that the building is typically closed up on Sundays and that there’s been a issue with homeless individuals on the grounds.
Amazingly, the article has to point out that Siegel “will not be facing any disciplinary actions” as he actually had an obligation to “follow the procedure of calling the campus police.”
But what he did sure won’t halt the complaints about “racism, oppression,” and the need for “more staff training.”
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