We the undersigned community members demand that Chuck Lillis resign from his position on the University of Oregon’s Board of Trustees and issue an apology to his community, which he endangered with his reckless and negligent action.

On March 17th, 2020, the Board of Trustees met to discuss and pass the proposed “guaranteed tuition model,” despite the emerging COVID-19 crisis and effective shutting of students out of the decision-making process. To protest the injustice of this meeting taking place without student input, a small group of ReclaimUO volunteers conducted a peaceful protest at the front of the building, taking careful safety precautions and demanding the meeting not proceed given the unusual circumstances of the campus-wide shutdown. Enter Chuck Lillis, a member of the Board of Trustees. Despite the protesters’ efforts towards peaceful protest and clear, just demand to cancel the meeting, Lillis refused to comply and physically assaulted a student protester, pushing him back into and then away from the door so he, Lillis, could proceed into the building (video through link). Given that protesters were blocking only one of seven entrances, Lillis had the ability to gain entrance six other, non-violent ways, and chose instead to confront and attack a peaceful protester. This behavior, unacceptable in any circumstance, was further unacceptable and negligent given the COVID-19 outbreak that relies on each community member doing their utmost to uphold social distancing. Both the student and the community at large were put in danger by Lillis’ actions. It is unacceptable that a Trustee, someone who is meant to be a pillar of the University, comported himself in a way that promoted physical violence against peaceful protesters and ignored social distancing. In light of this action, the community calls for Chuck Lillis to issue an apology to the student he assaulted, to the university community and the community at large, and resign from his position on the Board as it is clear he cannot act in the genuine interest of the wellbeing of the University and larger community.