Few cited for Midnight Yell disturbances

By Scott B. Wong
Daily Bruin Staff

There were no water balloons, no fires, no parades.

Last quarter’s Midnight Yell, UCLA’s finals week
tradition, played out more like a moment of silence, due in part to
an increased police presence and an administrative warning to
students that their freedom, living arrangements and education were
at jeopardy if they violated a new university policy.

“They’ve killed a UCLA tradition,” said Barry
Schulte, a third-year electrical engineering student and Glenrock
Avenue resident.

University police arrested four students during finals week for
possession of alcohol and passed on the names of 35 students to the
dean’s office for further review.

According to Karl Ross, assistant chief of UCPD and Midnight
Yell event commander, all officers were scheduled weeks in advance
to work the late Midnight Yell shift.

“Normal work shifts were adjusted,” Ross said.
“We made every effort to limit overtime hours and keep costs
down facilitated by rescheduling.”

Police cited Schulte for standing in the street and taunting
police, but failed to explain on what grounds students would be
cited, Schulte said.

Ross would not disclose how many officers were on patrol each
night, but about 15 were centered around Glenrock, known as a hot
spot for Midnight Yell activities in previous quarters.

“To effectively deal with a problem in that area, it
necessitates a number beyond normal deployment to be out on the
streets that night,” Ross said.

Additional officers were brought in from other UCs, including
Davis and San Francisco, he said.

Schulte said the time and money expended by the university and
UCPD during Midnight Yell is misappropriated.

“They need to look for all the rapists on campus, rather
than seeking out kids throwing water balloons,” he said,
adding that the policies were part of the university’s
“fascist agenda.”

But UCPD said they are only attempting to protect and prevent
students from facing serious injury.

“The issue we were trying to address was about behavior
and dangerous practices that were beginning to become a
tradition,” said Nancy Greenstein, director of UCPD community
services. “Our approach was successful.”

It may have been successful, but Schulte said the approach is
wrong.

“Why don’t they come up with a creative solution,
like a huge water balloon fight on campus?” he asked.

Administrators stated in a March 15 Daily Bruin ad that
individuals caught throwing objects would be arrested and have
their names forwarded to the dean of students.

Those caught committing a felony offense like arson or an
assault on an officer would be arrested and booked in jail and
possibly suspended from the university.

“Once booked into the county system, jail procedures may
delay an individual’s release, possibly resulting in the
offender missing scheduled final exams,” the ad stated.

Schulte said flyers were posted on each door of his Glenrock
apartment warning residents of the new university policy.

Berky Nelson, director of the Center for Student Programming,
was present on Glenrock to assist police during Midnight Yell and
said the combination of a strong police presence and administrative
warnings ensured that very few students were placed at risk during
the yells.

“There was no water, I didn’t see any fires and I
didn’t see any students running in the middle of the
street,” Nelson said. “Those were risks that the
university did not want to be exposed to.”

Shelley Taylor, whose family has lived in Westwood’s North
Village since 1956, said she’s pleased the university has
finally taken responsibility for its students.

“I’m glad they’ve seen that the (Midnight
Yell) has to do with their students,” said Taylor, who is
founder and managing director of the North Village Improvement
Committee.

North Village, the region of apartment buildings between Gayley
and Veteran Avenues, is a student-majority community, but families,
children and professionals live there as well.

Taylor said the Midnight Yell only serves as an excuse for
students to go crazy.

“It started as the last night of finals for two to three
minutes to a week-long debauchery of setting fires in the street
and dropping water from balconies,” she said. “This is
the “˜Animal House’ side of campus ““ it’s
anarchy over here.”

Ironically, Ross said, complaints mostly come from students
trying to study or those returning from the library who were
assaulted with water balloons, eggs and water.

But Schulte said going outside is a choice.

“Everyone who’s out there wants to be out
there,” he said. “It’s not loud ““ I’d
be able to sleep right through it if I wanted.”

UCPD appeared to have complete control of the streets during the
midnight hours of finals week, positioning themselves at virtually
every major intersection of Westwood’s North Village.

Greenstein said police had anticipated more activity Thursday
night of finals week since most students would be finished with
exams and the Duke v. UCLA basketball game was being broadcasted
that night. Despite a Bruin loss, that rolled around without a
hitch.

Administrators weren’t prepared to take action against
rowdy students until the December 1999 Midnight Yells when students
started burning couches, Taylor said, when they realized a possible
lawsuit was looming in the case of an injury.

“The pocketbook speaks,” she said.