UCLA Students Face Discipline in Clashes

Nearly two dozen UCLA students could face probation or expulsion from school for taking part in a fiery, bottle-hurling bout of finals week steam-venting, according to university officials.

Concerned that UCLA’s venerable if irritating tradition of finals week screaming has been replaced by arson and clashes with police, UCLA officials announced Friday that they were beginning disciplinary procedures against all students who participated in the disturbance this week.

Disciplinary action, they said, would begin with some 20 students who were arrested and would include warnings, probation or expulsion. Others would be disciplined as evidence linked them to the events, officials said.

In separate statements Friday, UCLA Chancellor Albert Carnesale and Dean of Students Robert Naples apologized for the actions of those hundreds of students who participated in the incidents just outside the Westwood campus.

“We’re pretty upset with what’s been going on,” Naples said. “This has taken us all by surprise.”

Friday marked the end of UCLA’s fall semester and the high-pressure finals week. Traditionally, students have marked the occasion with midnight noisemaking, known as the “Midnight Yell.” This week however, the tradition quickly escalated into mass disturbances along Glenrock and Kelton avenues, a residential area just west of campus and heavily populated by students.

The Los Angeles Police Department, which met the students with riot helmets, helicopters and rubber bullets, said students had set fire to furniture on the street, lit fireworks, hurled bottles at police and firefighters and taunted officers. No serious injuries were reported, although two officers suffered minor cuts when they were hit by hurled objects.

Eleven people were arrested early Friday morning on a variety of accusations, including failure to disperse, disturbing the peace and attempted arson. Nine others were arrested a day earlier for failure to disperse, according to police.

As students packed their cars to return home on break Friday, others surveyed the welter of broken bottles, charred furniture and fireworks confetti that littered the streets. Most said they thought the same thing would happen during future finals weeks.

“When the police and the helicopters show up, it’s kind of a bonding thing,” said Shea Travis, 21. “We’re all suffering here together studying for finals, and then suddenly we have the power.”

But Kwun Yee Poon, 20, an applied math major, said she “never imagined that UCLA students could be so immature and inconsiderate. I don’t think people are going to have a lot of respect for UCLA students because of this.”

Times staff writer Willoughby Mariano contributed to this story.