From Chancellor Birgeneau

While a group of protesters occupied Wheeler Hall, Chancellor Birgeneau sent these emails to the campus community:

1.

The campus police are working to resolve a protest action that is occurring in Wheeler Hall.  Staff, faculty and students who would normally be working in Wheeler Hall  are asked to remain out of the building until further notice.  Employees who can contact their supervisors should talk to them if possible to determine whether telecommuting or relocation to another work area is an option.  Those in the building right now are advised to leave until the situation has been resolved.   Employees who remain on campus may check in at Dwinelle Plaza at 10am. for further information.  Thank you to all of the members of the campus community for your patience in this matter.  

2.

Campus police continue to work to resolve the protest action at Wheeler Hall.  Campus police are striving to end the occupation of Wheeler Hall with the safety of our campus community, including all those involved in this action, as an uppermost priority.  Wheeler Hall will remain closed until further notice.  Instructors who teach in Wheeler Hall will be contacted shortly by e-mail.

3.
Since 3:00 p.m. today a group of senior administrators, faculty, and student leaders have been reaching out to the protesters inside Wheeler Hall.  Attempts to engage in a conversation with the 15 to 30 protestors estimated to be in the building have been refused.  The protesters are demanding reinstatement of 38 AFSCME custodial staff who were recently laid off and amnesty and the dropping of charges against any of the protestors.  Today's takeover of Wheeler Hall has affected 3800 students who were not able to attend classes in Wheeler Hall, as well as many others who have offices and work in the building.  Activities in many other campus buildings were disrupted by falsely activating fire alarms. We continue to attempt to resolve the situation and encourage the protestors to leave the building of their own accord.

4.
The Wheeler Hall protest ended peacefully this evening when 40 protestors who had occupied the second floor of the building were cited for trespassing by UC Berkeley Police and released.  Thanks to the efforts of ASUC student leaders and faculty who worked with Vice-Chancellor Student Affairs Harry Le Grande, Executive Vice-Chancellor & Provost George Breslauer, and me, our police were able to diffuse the situation and end the protest.   Throughout the day, the large crowds that gathered around Wheeler Hall necessitated significant police presence to maintain safety.  It is truly regrettable, however, that a few members of our campus community may have found themselves in conflict with law enforcement officers.  Overall, the officers who managed the day's events did very well under difficult circumstances.  I understand that our students are justifiably angry over the fee increases and reductions in staff necessitated by the egregious disinvestment by Sacramento in the University of California.  They are not alone in this.  Clearly, we cannot allow illegal occupations of our buildings and disruption of our academic programs.  Today 3800 students were unable to attend class in Wheeler Hall.    We have a strong tradition of free speech on campus.  Let us not forget that we are all fighting for the same cause:  to maintain the public character of our university by sustaining Berkeley's excellence and accessibility.  Taking over our classroom buildings is not a productive way in which to advance our shared interests in gaining support for public higher education.  Let us work together, not in opposition, to move forward our cause.