In the wake of the March 6 riot on University Hill, CU Boulder has taken immediate actions to bolster community relationships and hold students who took part accountable.
“As Buffs, and especially during times like these, it’s more important than ever that toward each other and our neighbors,” said JB Banks, acting vice chancellor for student affairs. “We want our students to be safe and act as Buffs wherever they are. Residents of the Hill can expect a greater police presence, and we are also offering several safe events and educational programs on campus this spring.”Ěý
As Chancellor Philip DiStefano mentioned in his March 11 message, CU Boulder is taking steps to improve Boulder’s neighborhood environment for all residents. The campus has committed to working with the Boulder City Council and University Hill neighbors via the Hill Revitalization Working Group to assess and develop recommendations regarding ordinance and code changes that could help prevent a future incident like the one on March 6.ĚýĚý
- Ongoing adjudication of student code of conduct violations and sanctions.
- Increased CUPD/BPD presence in the Hill neighborhood.
- Outreach to student Hill residents to educate and mitigate unsafe behaviors.Ěý
- Additional in-person events and increased presence on the Hill throughout the several days following St. Patrick’s Day.
- Work with community stakeholders to assess and develop recommendations on ordinance and code changes that could help prevent future incidents and provide long-term, sustainable improvements to the quality of life for all Hill residents.Ěý
Additionally, CU Boulder will embark on a deliberative process of working with campus and community stakeholders to understand underlying issues that persist in the Boulder community, with the goal of developing short- and long-term plans to improve the university-community relationship.
“Together, we can find solutions to these problems” said Kim Calomino, CU Boulder director of local government and community relations.
Upholding accountability
As the Boulder Police Department (BPD) investigates the events of March 6, CU Boulder is working through the campus student conduct process.
Conduct processes in situations such as this are most effective when they are based on reports from the CU Boulder Police Department (CUPD) and BPD.Ěý Anyone with information regarding the March 6 riot is encouraged to first. Police will refer criminal cases to CU Boulder as investigations unfold. CU Boulder then initiates an investigation and holds students accountable when evidence shows the student is in violation of the university student code of conduct. So far, police have referred a small number of cases with criminal arrests to the university, plus close to 50 non-criminal-cases that may violate university policy.ĚýĚý
It can take many weeks for student conduct investigations and adjudication to be complete. Students may be subject to interim sanctions while their cases are adjudicated, including suspension from the campus for more serious violations. Any student found responsible for having engaged in acts of violence toward police officers or other egregious acts connected to the events of March 6—including damage to property—will face serious sanctions, with the most significant violations resulting in either suspension or expulsion from CU Boulder without the possibility of readmission. Students arrested on criminal charges related to the March 6 riot will likely be issued a notice of interim exclusion or suspension, depending on the nature and severity of the charges.
Any student found to have joined in the gathering in clear violation of current health orders or found to have refused to disperse when asked by law enforcement is subject to disciplinary action by the university.Ěý
The COVID-19-ready dashboard has been modified to include a section on March 6 conduct enforcement and will include information on:
- Non-criminal referrals being adjudicated.
- Criminal referrals being adjudicated.
- Probations.
- Suspensions.
- Expulsions.
- Interim suspensions.
- Interim exclusions.
The campus cannot share details about individual cases because of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).Ěý
“This is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. A conduct process is part of a student’s education record,” Devin Cramer, acting dean of students, said during the March 16 Campus Q&A. “As a student education record, it cannot be shared publicly.”
The updates will be in addition to regular updates on COVID-19-related suspensions and probations viewable on the dashboard. In early September, campus leaders notified students of the penalties that would follow hosting or attending large social gatherings or violating public health orders. Of the 45 students suspensions in the fall semester, 30 of those suspensions were for hosting large gatherings off campus in violation of public health orders.
Preventing large gatherings this spring
CU Boulder wants students to socialize safely, particularly as long as COVID-19 is a consideration. To that end, campus is hosting more than 500 events this semester as alternatives to large in-person gatherings.
From St. Patrick’s Day through the following weekend, the Division of Student Affairs is hosting more than 30 events to provide students with safe social and educational opportunities. Student Affairs hosted a “rainbow road” near the Hill on St. Patrick’s Day, providing educational resources and snacks to students coming to and from the neighborhood. They also hosted a Buffs After Dark event, their signature late-night programming, featuring skating at the Rec Center.
Throughout the rest of the spring semester, students have access to in-person events such as March Madness watch parties, trivia, film series, esports events and glow-in-the-dark basketball. Virtually, Student Affairs is offering an escape room and game nights for students to connect.
