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A task force, convened by the UC Berkeley chancellor, released an action plan last week, aimed at preventing riots and other criminal behavior that has occurred following student-organized dances at the Pauley Ballroom. 

The draft report, which still must receive approval by the task force and Chancellor Robert Berdahl, calls for a variety of measures including police barricades on Bancroft Way, reinforced security doors in the ballroom and enhanced lighting in Sproul Plaza. The report also suggests creating a “Good Neighbor” fund of $120,000 to repay local merchants for any losses due to campus events gone awry. 

“I’ve read the report and am generally happy with the suggestions,” said Daniel Del Grande, a task force member and business owner. “But there are still some issues that have to be worked out.” 

Del Grande, who owns the Bison Brewery on Telegraph Avenue, said one remaining issue is whether the university is going to offer financial restitution to businesses, property owners and individuals who suffered property damage during a recent looting spree in August. 

Berdahl has already flatly refused a request by Mayor Shirley Dean for reimbursement of approximately $5,000 to pay for clean-up and the 27 city police officers who responded to the incident. 

“With regards to compensating the city of Berkeley for related police costs, this is not something I will entertain,” Berdahl wrote in a Oct. 29 letter to Dean. 

Berdahl said the university would not consider compensation because it offers many benefits to the city, and that the university was “justified” in expecting assistance from the Berkeley Police Department during “disturbances.” 

Dean submitted a recommendation at the Oct. 30 City Council meeting to ask the city manager to develop a policy giving financial responsibility to the university for police costs during similar events that could occur in the future. But it was pulled from the consent calendar by Vice Mayor Maudelle Shirek and will be addressed at a later date. 

The task force was convened after a widely-publicized, student-sponsored dance on campus at the Pauley Ballroom in August ended in a looting spree of businesses south of campus. According to police reports, about 200 of the 1,300 people who attended the dance participated in the looting. The damages to nearby businesses and property is estimated to be between $25,000 and $30,000.  

In addition, several people who attended the dance reportedly broke into a nearby residence and terrified four young women who lived there. 

Student organizers have repeatedly claimed that the college-age people who participated in the looting were not UC students.  

The incident was the second within one year, in which looting followed a campus dance. In October 2000, a large group of people who were unable to get into a Pauley Ballroom dance looted stores on Telegraph Avenue. According to the task force report, Southside merchants sustained over $100,000 in damages. After the October looting spree, the university assured the community that security measures had been put in place that would prevent such a thing from happening again. 

Immediately following the second looting spree in August, UC Berkeley Chancellor Robert Berdahl indefinitely cancelled student-organized dances and similar events on campus. 

After the October incident, the university administration assured the community that security measures had been put in place to prevent such a thing from happening again.  

In addition to the estimated $100,000 in physical upgrades to the campus and ballroom, the report suggests limiting the number of tickets sold for Pauley Ballroom events, not admitting anyone unless they have a student identification from a “higher educational institution,” requiring fliers, posters and other advertisements to indicate dances are not open to the public. 

Associated Student Vice President Josh Fryday said the recommendations are too restrictive and would inhibit some student organizations from raising money for philanthropic endeavors. 

Fryday said both looting incidents involved fraternities, which happened to be run by African American students, that don’t have frat houses to stage events in.  

“We are concerned that these policies will cut the throats of African American groups on campus,” he said.  

Fryday said the fraternities rely on the event proceeds to fund a variety of community volunteer work such as mentoring and tutoring programs. 

Assistant City Manager Jim Hynes, also a task force member, said that Fryday may have overstated the situation. 

“Josh’s comments about having their ‘throats cut’ is a little extreme,” Hynes said. “We found out that the money raised at these events averages about $3,000.” 

Hynes said the amount was not impossible to raise in other ways and that the university has agreed to work with the fraternities to develop alternative fundraising methods.  

Assuming Berdahl approves the report, the Office of Student Life, the ASUC and the UC Police Department would develop an action plan and create a timeline for implementation of the suggested security measures.  

Also, the report suggests rules and procedures be developed for the “Good Neighbor” fund and that no dances be scheduled until these procedures have been completed and approved by the chancellor.