Vanguard at UC Davis

Former Supreme Court Justice Cruz Reynoso Named to Chair Task Force on Pepper Spray Incident

Former Supreme Court Justice Cruz Reynoso Named to Chair Task Force on Pepper Spray Incident

By David GreenwaldNovember 29, 20119 comments

Reynoso-hi-res

In a strong signal that this incident will not simply be swept under the rug, UC President Mark Yudof announced today that former California Supreme Court Justice Cruz Reynoso will chair the task force formed to address the pepper spraying of UC Davis students.

Justice Reynoso, a UC Davis Law Professor Emeritus, who was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2000, will be “absolutely fair,” President Yudof said.
Defending the Indefensible

Defending the Indefensible

By David GreenwaldNovember 28, 201137 comments

Spicuzza-Pike-Pepper.png

A new defense has emerged of Lt. John Pike, an amateur video which shows the embattled lieutenant warning the protesters that if they do not move, they will be subject to the use of force.

Reported the Davis Enterprise last week, “Some Occupy critics have seized on the new video as proof that protesters incited the officer’s response.”
Student View: It’s so Much More than Just the 1%…

Student View: It’s so Much More than Just the 1%…

By uptownstudiosNovember 28, 201113 comments

Pepper-Spray-2.png

by Amani Rashid –

A group of students on this campus decided they had something to say; a message to send on behalf of all the students on this campus; turns out we no longer shoot the messenger we just mace him for the hell of it until all the pepper spray is gone and he coughs blood.

I think that before anyone can really form too much of an opinion pertaining to the “Occupy Davis” movement they need to understand it better; I think that before anyone can pick sides and point fingers they’re in need for a little history lesson.
Latest Vanguard News and Commentary on the Pepper Spray Issue

Latest Vanguard News and Commentary on the Pepper Spray Issue

By David GreenwaldNovember 23, 201186 comments

Spicuzza-Pike-Pepper

The Investigation: Former LA Chief Bratton Heads Up Investigation

On Tuesday UC President Mark Yudof announced that former Los Angeles Police Chief William J. Bratton will undertake an independent fact-finding of the pepper spray incident and report back the results to him within 30 days.

“My intent,” President Yudof said, “is to provide the Chancellor and the entire University of California community with an independent, unvarnished report about what happened at Davis.”
Commentary: Katehi’s Visit Does More Harm Than Good

Commentary: Katehi’s Visit Does More Harm Than Good

By David GreenwaldNovember 22, 201170 comments

KatehiFacesTheCroud_11-21-11-4-1It was not a friendly crowd that faced Chancellor Linda Katehi on Monday afternoon, but they clearly wanted to hear what the chancellor had to say, even as many chanted for her to resign.  The crowd listened politely, quickly shouting down those who wished to catcall or heckle the chancellor.

But in the end, it would have been better for her not to have made an appearance, if this were all she was going to say.
Vanguard Analysis: Use of Pepper Spray Appears to Violate Both Law and UCD Policies

Vanguard Analysis: Use of Pepper Spray Appears to Violate Both Law and UCD Policies

By David GreenwaldNovember 22, 201129 comments

Pepper-sprayOne of the points that defenders of the police here have failed to address is whether or not the actions of the police here are legal, or if they have clearly violated community standards.  In so doing, regardless of legality, it means that the community is not willing to accept this type of response from their police and therefore political pressure will force the agency to have to change policies and even dismiss officials.

However, that point aside, it is of questionable legality what occurred on the UC Davis campus.  The Vanguard has examined both the UC Davis Use of Force policy, as well as case law, and come to the determination that these actions violate both.
Katehi Makes Brief Appearance to Large Audience on Quad

Katehi Makes Brief Appearance to Large Audience on Quad

By David GreenwaldNovember 22, 201127 comments

Students Who Were Pepper Sprayed Tell Their Stories

KatehiFacesTheCroud_11-21-11-15-1

UC officials, who hoped the matter of pepper spraying students on the Quad of the MU last Friday would simply go away, were treated to a rude awakening as more than 5,000 people – students, staff, faculty and members of the community alike – jammed into the UCD Quad Monday afternoon.

No police were seen and none were needed as the large crowd policed itself and there were no known incidents.  Chancellor Katehi offered a brief word of apology and quickly fled, an appearance that will likely do little to quiet the calls for her resignation, that were heard loudly and clearly, with the English Department’s faculty joining the Faculty Association in calling for the chancellor’s resignation.
BREAKING NEWS: Police Chief Placed on Admin Leave

BREAKING NEWS: Police Chief Placed on Admin Leave

By David GreenwaldNovember 21, 201145 comments

spicuzza_annette

UC Davis has just announced that Police Chief Annette Spicuzza has been placed on administrative leave, pending a review of officers’ use of pepper spray against protesters. UC Davis Lt. Matt Carmichael will serve as interim police chief.

“As I have gathered more information about the events that took place on our Quad on Friday, it has become clear to me that this is a necessary step toward restoring trust on our campus,” said UC Davis Chancellor Linda Katehi.
Damage Control

Damage Control

By David GreenwaldNovember 21, 201142 comments

katehi_linda1_b

Chancellor’s Hasty Retreat Covers Up Major Errors and Oversights That Directly Caused Fiasco

In the immediate wake of the pepper spraying, the initial response from the leadership at UC Davis was actually to defend the actions of the police.

“We have a responsibility to maintain a secure place for our students to learn, and for our faculty and staff to provide the excellent education we are known for,” Chancellor Linda Katehi said immediately.
Sunday Commentary: The Whole World is Watching

Sunday Commentary: The Whole World is Watching

By David GreenwaldNovember 20, 201190 comments

Pepper-spray.jpg

Saturday featured a flurry of activity as UC Davis had to rapidly backtrack in the wake of national and worldwide coverage, from CNN to the New York Times to the Huffington Post to the BBC.

University Officials initially defended Friday’s action, saying that police had to use pepper spray after being surrounded by students – something that the videos clearly and definitively refute as it shows a rather orderly scene with students simply huddled on the sidewalk and an officer walking up and pepper spraying them.
Occupy UC Davis Explodes in Protester-Police Clash

Occupy UC Davis Explodes in Protester-Police Clash

By David GreenwaldNovember 19, 2011188 comments

Pepper-spray

Just when it seemed that the Occupy movement was about to die out, a confrontation that was brewing all week exploded as police officers used pepper spray and other non-lethal means to expel protesters from an encampment on the campus Quad.

Officials report at least ten protesters arrested.

Sunday Commentary: Skeptical UC Davis’ Vision Will Pencil Out

Sunday Commentary: Skeptical UC Davis’ Vision Will Pencil Out

By David GreenwaldSeptember 25, 201117 comments

katehi_linda1_bIn the world of innovation, I see three possibilities – good ideas, bad ideas, and I don’t get it ideas.  In some ways, the UC Davis plan that was unveiled this week fits into all three categories at once.

Here is what I get and support.  First of all, I want to see UC Davis and this region develop into an innovative and high-tech hub.  From the standpoint of economic development, I think the university has been underutilitized, and I appreciate that Chancellor Katehi has the drive and ambition to pursue policies that other chancellors have not.
Is UC Davis’ Plan for Growth Pressuring Davis to Grow As Well?

Is UC Davis’ Plan for Growth Pressuring Davis to Grow As Well?

By David GreenwaldSeptember 23, 201175 comments

katehi_linda1_b

This week UC Davis Chancellor Linda Katehi unveiled a major campus initiative that would increase the number of students and faculty by large numbers in the next five years.

According to a release earlier this week from the UC Davis News Service, “Specifically, the campus is in the early stages of studying whether it can add 5,000 more qualified undergraduate students in the next five years – with an appropriate and responsible mix of instate, out-of-state and international students – and support 300 new tenure-track faculty positions. The campus currently has 24,700 undergraduates (nearly 32,300 total students) and about 1,500 faculty.”
UC Davis Employee Contends Non-Union Workers Have Received Raises All Along, In Contrast to President Yudof’s Claims

UC Davis Employee Contends Non-Union Workers Have Received Raises All Along, In Contrast to President Yudof’s Claims

By David GreenwaldSeptember 5, 20113 comments

yudof-2

On August 20, the Vanguard reported on the continued audacity of the University of California, who announced that week that they will spend approximately 140 million dollars that was raised from increasing student tuition to give merit raises to thousands of faculty members and nonunion employees earning up to 200,000 dollars.

Carol Crabill, a union-represented staff member in the mathematics department at UC Davis, directs us to her piece that appears in the LA Times this week in response to the Times’ August 18 article on the raises for non-union workers.
Like BART Protests, Internal Documents Reveal UC Has Spied On Student Fee Hike Demonstrations

Like BART Protests, Internal Documents Reveal UC Has Spied On Student Fee Hike Demonstrations

By uptownstudiosAugust 23, 201110 comments

Surveillance-Keyholeby Eric Lee
Special to the Vanguard –

BART actions to inhibit free speech activity isn’t new to University of California students who earlier this year uncovered internal documents showing officials have conspired to monitor and control constitutionally-protected fee hike protests at UC Davis.

High-ranking University of California, Davis administrators including Chancellor Linda Katehi, several vice chancellors, more than 30 staff members, and campus police were involved, according to internal documents uncovered by students involved in the demonstrations.
Commentary: UC Takes 140 Million Dollars from Student Tuition to Go To Raises

Commentary: UC Takes 140 Million Dollars from Student Tuition to Go To Raises

By David GreenwaldAugust 20, 201138 comments

yudof-2

It has been a busy week, but we have to note with stunned amazement the continued audacity of the University of California, who announced this week that they will spend approximately 140 million dollars that was raised from increasing student tuition to give merit raises to thousands of faculty members and nonunion employees earning up to 200,000 dollars.

So much for any reasonable notion of shared sacrifice.  The University of California is experiencing what officials have called their worst fiscal crisis in history, they have lost nearly a billion in state funding over the last years, forcing layoffs and huge fee increases, but they have absolutely no problem giving out raises to top executives and now money for merit increases.
Radical New Message From Chancellor Katehi With Growth Implications For Davis

Radical New Message From Chancellor Katehi With Growth Implications For Davis

By David GreenwaldAugust 1, 201117 comments

katehi_linda1_b

In a communication that is perhaps a week old, Chancellor Linda Katehi calls it, “Defining the future of UC Davis.”  And with talks of “a path to academic excellence” and “a drive for economic growth,” reading between the lines it sounds a lot like a recipe for population growth in Davis.

She writes, “The steadfast support of the state of California has been a foundation of our success, and the university in turn has educated generations of California residents and been an engine of economic development.”
State Auditor Slams UC For Secrecy in Spending

State Auditor Slams UC For Secrecy in Spending

By David GreenwaldJuly 29, 20113 comments

yudofPresident Yudof disagrees but vows to improve transparency –

A report from the state auditor has criticized the University of California, in part for a lack of transparency in the ability to explain the differences in funding levels per pupil from university to university within the system.

In a response from UC President Mark Yudof, he writes, “We are proud of the fact that we have come through this review with validation of so many of our procedures and policies…But, at what cost?”
Regents Raise UC Fees by Nearly 10 Percent

Regents Raise UC Fees by Nearly 10 Percent

By David GreenwaldJuly 15, 20119 comments

UCD-Protest

The UC Board of Regents reluctantly voted to raise tuition by another 9.6 percent on top of the eight percent they raised it last year, both to take place in the fall.  That means that tuition will have increased this fall by 1890 dollars.

The Regents were quick to blame the latest blow to students on the state’s budget cuts and the budget that Governor Jerry Brown signed last month, which was basically an all-cuts budget due to the fact that the Democrats had to pass the budget with only the support of Democrats, and thus could not raise taxes.