By Scott B. Wong
Daily Bruin Staff
UCLA students throwing water balloons or starting fires during
this quarter’s Midnight Yell may be jeopardizing their
educational status.
In previous quarters, students who threw objects at each other,
university personnel and police have not been diligently pursued by
the university.
But this quarter, aside from criminal charges, university
officials said a student’s academic records or status may be
affected if they are found to be repeat or serious offenders during
Midnight Yell, the long-standing UCLA tradition where students
scream at midnight to relieve finals week stress.
“I am not beyond suspending students who engage in
activities which put others at harm,” said Robert Naples,
assistant vice chancellor of student and campus life and dean of
students.
As with any violation of the Student Code of Conduct,
administrators have a broad array of sanctions which could be
imposed on students, ranging from a warning to suspension. But
expulsion is an unlikely possibility for Midnight Yell
participants, Naples said.
Berky Nelson, director of the Center for Student Programming,
told the Undergraduate Students Association Council on Tuesday
night that if something egregious occurs during Midnight Yell,
administrators will review a student’s academic status.
“This is not designed to take away someone’s
freedom, but protect the health and safety of the student
population,” Nelson said to council.
According to Naples, the administration is only trying to put
the community on notice, not to eliminate the fun.
“It’s not fair to say the university is cracking
down on the Midnight Yell,” Naples said. “What it seems
is that a lot of activities have taken place prior to any
intervention ““ we’re suggesting an earlier
intervention.”
Naples sent a letter to all property owners and managers in
Westwood’s North Village on Monday, advising them to take
responsibility for their tenants and informing them of potential
liability issues they face during Midnight Yell.
“These include individuals racing in and out of buildings
and from one building to another, setting fireworks off from
rooftops, occasionally setting fire to couches and trash bins and
throwing objects at passersby and vehicles,” Naples stated in
the letter.
“(Administrators and police) do not have the physical
property access or the staffing needed to monitor and control every
instance of the kinds of occurrences described above,” the
letter states.
Nancy Greenstein, director of community services for university
police, said UCPD has been meeting with various administrators to
reflect on past Midnight Yells.
“We learned that students are more inclined to give police
a harder time than the administration,” Greenstein said.
“Most students are very concerned with their academic
records, even more so than getting a citation.”
Naples agreed, saying students are most concerned with a
disruption in their academic status, followed by residential status
and legal repercussions, such as an arrest.
During finals week in fall 1999, students pelted firefighters
with rocks, bottles and eggs as they attempted to extinguish a
couch that had been set on fire. LAPD riot police were dispatched
to the scene and arrested 19 students.
According to Greenstein, UCPD was concerned that some of the
behavior exhibited during Midnight Yell has become overly
aggressive, including large-scale water balloon fights on Kelton
and the 500 block of Glenrock Avenues during recent finals
weeks.
“We had a lot of complaints from people who couldn’t
get back in their homes because they didn’t want to get
wet,” she said.
Police are also concerned with the risk associated with having
so many students out on apartment balconies. Over the past few
years, three UCLA students have fallen off balconies, according to
Greenstein, but none of the incidents were related to Midnight
Yell.
Allowing 15 people on a balcony when the tenant knows it can
only support three or four may be considered an act of endangerment
to the community, Naples said.
Although the LAPD has primary jurisdiction over Westwood, it has
agreed to let UCPD take the lead in patrolling Midnight Yell.
“If a situation is beyond the resources of UCPD, LAPD is
available,” Greenstein said.
But administrators are hoping the new policies will prevent LAPD
from having to intervene.
“If university police pull out of this and LAPD steps in,
that’s the worst-case scenario,” Nelson said. “I
don’t want to see any of our students confronted by
LAPD.”
Original by JACOB LIAO/Daily Bruin