Unfettered by stifling bureaucracy.

An anonymous submission -- Ed.

The student-worker Movement should heed the lesson of November 20th: disruption of ‘business as usual’ at the University through direct action is instrumental to the Movement’s successful resistance to the Regents’ project of privatization of the University of California. For the experiences of Fall semester 2009 demonstrate that it is primarily through direct action—as opposed to delegating our authority to spineless, impotent politicians, whether in the Democratic Party or self-styled student leaders—that the Movement realizes its collective power. And it is only through the local exercise of this collective power—unfettered by the stifling bureaucracy of a political party or the institutions of the University—that the Movement can effectively press for and implement the fundamental change it demands at the University and even its host society.

A brief review of the November demonstrations and actions underscores the potency of direct action.

On November 18-19, students, staff, and faculty spent long days on the picket lines, chanting and marching in circles … while hordes of scabs walked right by the strikers. The Movement’s act of defiance—the workers in striking, and the students in walking out and supporting the striking workers—quickly turned into an alienating experience. Ironically, students and workers were disempowered by an action that should have been empowering. Those on the picket lines chanted, over and over again, that the University of California is ‘Our University!’ But those words rang hollow; indeed, it was as if the striking students and workers were foreigners in a hostile land—the disconnect between Us and Them could not have been stronger. ‘Whose University?’ The chant was not rhetorical—the University certainly did not belong to students or workers.

"as more people joined the march and joined the destruction of capital"

Berkeley, CA – In Sproul Plaza of UC Berkeley, hundreds gathered for a dance party that began around 10pm on Thursday, February 25. At the peak of the party (around 12am) the 250 people dancing surrounded the loudspeakers as together they moved farther into campus. As we approached Durant Hall, a building currently being renovated, people began handing out communiques. We began to see a yellow light glow from inside the second story windows of the building, and then silhouettes of dozens of occupiers emerged. They rigged a few banners across the front of the building and descended to join the party.

Read more.

A Letter to the UC Berkeley Community Concerning Ongoing Prosecutions of Student Activists

Reprinted from a Facebook post.

We're writing to let you know about some disturbing actions the Office of Student Conduct at UC Berkeley has recently taken in prosecuting approximately one hundred student activists, including ourselves. Those facing prosecutions are alleged to have participated in at least one of three non-violent actions that occurred on campus last fall, including the reclamation of Wheeler Hall on November 20th. For our participation in this event, we are being charged with violating a number of regulations from the University Code of Conduct, the most serious being 321c, Physical Abuse. This regulation reads in full:

"No person on University property or at official University functions may engage in physical abuse including but not limited to sexual assault, sex offenses, and other physical assault; threats of violence; or other conduct that threatens the health or safety of any person."

Berkeley Law Students Publish Op-Ed

A Jan. 13, 2010, Student Conduct panel upheld an “interim suspension” placed on UC Berkeley Junior Angela Miller, a student activist who is accused of violating the Code of Student Conduct for participating in a demonstration on Dec. 11, 2009. The panel’s suspension banned Ms. Miller from campus property, ordered her not to communicate with any faculty or student, and evicted her from off-campus housing.

Read More.

Berkeley Law Student Statement of Public Education, Struggle, and Silencing Dissent.

This statement was released today by Berkeley Law students. A downloadable pdf is at the bottom.

Realizing that batons, rubber bullets, and tasers cannot quell the campus community’s opposition to the Regents’ project of privatizing the University of California (“UC”), the Administration has resorted to a more subtle but equally vile method of coercion: UC is taking disciplinary action against student activists through a process that violates students’ federally guaranteed due process rights, including the right to notice of charges, the right to inspect evidence, and the right to counsel.

On January 13, 2010, a hearing panel of the Committee on Student Conduct shamefully upheld an ‘interim suspension’ placed on Angela Miller. The suspension bans Ms. Miller, a University of California, Berkeley (“UCB”) Junior, from campus property, from speaking with anyone affiliated with UCB anywhere at anytime, evicts her from her off-campus housing, and more. Not only does the suspension immediately and clearly violate Ms. Miller's expression rights, due process rights, and California landlord-tenant law, but Ms. Miller’s suspension—and the Stalinist procedure that the UCB Administration used to uphold it—also show that UCB is willing to break any law, smear any student’s reputation, and arrest any protester to silence dissent.

UC Berkeley's witch hunt

Berkeley Law Lecturer Stephen Rosenbaum is representing two students charged with violating UCB rules.

UC Berkeley law lecturer discusses the Office of Student Conduct from Josh Wolf on Vimeo.

Angela Miller was thrown in jail and held on more than $100,000 bail after she was arrested from a crowd gathered outside UC Berkeley Chancellor Robert Birgeneau’s home. But even after the DA dropped all the charges against the eight who were arrested, the university is refusing to allow Miller to return to class.

No one has shown evidence that any of those arrested broke any laws when they joined a march on Dec. 10 that resulted in some property damage to the chancellor’s on-campus house.

Read more.

Legal Support Information for UC Berkeley Students

This email is circulating. The room for the meeting is confirmed to be Boalt 110.

**Important information about legal representation and support for
students facing Office of Student Conduct charges at UC Berkeley from
the 11/18, 11/20, or 12/11 occupations on campus or the demonstration at
the Chancellor's residence on 12/11.**

This email is coming from a group of Boalt Law students that organized
around the UC strikes in Fall 2009. We are continuing to find ways to
support the student struggle and have partnered with a group of Bay Area
attorneys (mostly NLG members) to provide legal support, counsel, and
representation for students facing criminal and academic charges
stemming from participation in the events listed above.

We invite anyone fitting these criteria to join us for a meeting at
Boalt Hall on Tuesday, January 19, 2010 at 7pm. Room TBA. Attorney
client privilege rules require that only students who are facing OSC or
criminal charges from these events can attend. We ask that students not
facing charges not attend so that students can speak freely and
confidentially.

In order to start working with you, we will need a copy of your charge
or letter from Student Conduct indicating that you are under
investigation along with your basic contact information and scheduled
appointment and hearing dates. If you cannot make the meeting, contact
Nathan Shaffer directly (shaffer@berkeley.edu).

This meeting is for anyone facing charges. We can discuss a group
strategy, individual strategies, and other ways that we can offer
support. We will not turn people away and can provide varying levels of
support that correlate to the student's need. This message is not an
open or unlimited offer of representation, but if you are interested
please attend the meeting. We are not charging fees.

Specifically, we are prepared to discuss assisting students with:

1) Representation at pre-hearing OSC meetings.
2) Representation in OSC hearings, insofar as the UC allows.
3) Challenging potentially illegal procedures in the UC academic
discipline process in court.

We are prepared to discuss both individual and collective strategies and
coordinating legal strategy with ongoing campaigns. If you are not
interested in a collective strategy, you are welcome to attend and we
can provide individual support. Therefore, it is important to meet or
contact us as soon as possible if you need assistance.

Thank you,

Nathan Shaffer
shaffer@berkeley.edu
Berkeley Law, 2011