BERKELEY -- UC Berkeley student senators voted Sunday to condemn discriminatory behavior on campus - even if done in satire - in response to a Republican student group's plans for an "Increase Diversity Bake Sale," with pastries labeled according to race and gender.

The 19-0 vote, with one absence, came during a special meeting of the Associated Students of the University of California, as the debate over affirmative action reignited in Berkeley.

"Sure, it came off as discrimination," said Francisco Loayza IV, the treasurer of the Republican group, at Sunday's meeting. "People are being judged by their skin color (in affirmative action policies). I don't want to be judged because I'm brown. Look past the prices, and see what we're trying to do."

But another student, Devonte Jackson, said the bake sale was inappropriate and hurtful, "attacking underrepresented communities by reducing their communities to a cheaply priced good."

The bake sale - which the Berkeley College Republicans still plan to hold Tuesday - is an effort to denounce a bill now on Gov. Jerry Brown's desk that would allow the University of California and California State University to consider race, ethnicity and gender in student admissions.

The bake sale has students quarrelling not only about race-based college admissions but about the nature of political commentary - what is fair and what is offensive, and who gets to decide.

The Republican group timed the sale for Tuesday to counter an event by the student government on the same day that they say is racist in its own right. That event, sponsored by the Associated Students, will be a call-in booth on campus inviting support for SB185, the bill authored by Sen. Ed Hernandez, D-West Covina (Los Angeles County).

Currently, Proposition 209, which was approved by California voters in 1996, prevents public schools and employers from considering applicants' race, ethnicity and gender.

Pastries' price levels

Both campus events were advertised on Facebook. The Republicans' posting describes five price levels for their bake sale, with pastries described as "White/Caucasian" going for $2, "Asian/American American" for $1.50, "Latino/Hispanic" for $1, "Black/African American" for 75 cents, and "Native American" for a quarter. A 25-cent discount is offered for women.

"If you don't come, you're a racist," the post declares.

Hundreds of students opposed the bake sale on Facebook, and many sent letters of complaint to campus administrators. Alfredo Mireles, Jr., a UCSF nursing student who sits on UC's Board of Regents, issued a statement condemning "a common stunt performed by college Republican groups to protest affirmative action policies."

A few dozen students attended Sunday's special meeting, and several members of the Republican group defended their actions.

The bill that emerged from the student senators did not punish the group, or even name it, but referred to the power of a separate Judiciary Council to defund any campus group found to be discriminatory.

"The ASUC," the bill reads, "condemns the use of discrimination whether it is in satire or in seriousness by any student group."

The bill also requests a partnership between the Chancellor's Task Force for Hate and Bias and the student government's Commission on Diversity Affairs "to initiate a dialogue on encouraging a respectful campus climate and courteous student group conduct."

Student Senator Noah Ickowitz said the bill "was not about political ideology. Berkeley is an amazing place because there are so many different ideologies." But, he said, the methods people use to express their beliefs are important.

'A political statement'

Andy Nevis, the executive director of the Berkeley College Republicans, said the bake sale is "a political statement. We believe any attempt to defund Berkeley College Republicans would be unconstitutional."

Shawn Lewis, the president of the Republican group, said his members had been harassed and threatened online. The bake sale will go on, he said, "if we can do it safely."

UC Berkeley's vice chancellor for equity and inclusion, Gibor Basri, who did not attend the meeting, also said the event will be allowed to go forward.

"Some other students are now thinking of handing out free 'cupcakes of conscience' at the same time and place," Basri said.