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UC Berkeley has decided to reverse its original plans to disband the Institute for the Study of Societal Issues, or ISSI, allowing the program to continue social justice research.
The program’s closure was decided by campus last fall due to financial constraints during the COVID-19 pandemic. ISSI community members alleged that the decision undermined UC Berkeley’s commitment to people of color.
After an outcry in defense of the preservation of ISSI and strong member support, campus is now reversing its original decision of shutting down the program, according to Deborah Lustig, ISSI associate director.
“I was shocked when I got the news about the planned closure; it came out of the blue and seemed out-of-step with the university’s commitments to work towards anti-racism,” Lustig said in an email. “We’re an important node on campus for diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, so I assumed that the university would want to build on the work we are doing.”