Occupy protests at UC Berkeley

Resources related to the November 2011 protests on campus

A campus perspective: ‘Occupy’ and the crisis in higher education | Tuesday, 12/13
Berkeley students and staff share their opinions on the state of public education and the recent campus protests.

I School prof’s word of the year for NPR: occupy | Thursday, 12/08
Berkeley linguist Geoffrey Nunberg picks “occupy” as the word of the year for National Public Radio’s Fresh Air show with Terry Gross, because it “has actually shaped the perception of important events.”

‘Routine’ police panel meeting gets ‘Occupy’d’ | Friday, 12/02
When the campus Police Review Board met Thursday, it was not to discuss the events of Nov. 9. That, however, was precisely what students and supporters wanted to talk about.

Teepee, banner to stay on plaza | Friday, 12/02
The decision by campus administrators extends an existing agreement to allow the two items, the most visible remnants of last month’s Occupy Cal protests.

Lawsuit filed over Nov. 9 protests | Wednesday, 11/30
A group made up of 18 UC Berkeley students, one staff member and five others filed a federal lawsuit Monday against police and Berkeley administrators stemming from actions taken by the campus Nov. 9 to prevent Occupy Cal encampments on Sproul Plaza.

Faculty senate to take up no-confidence resolution | Wednesday, 11/23
The Berkeley Division of the Academic Senate has scheduled a special meeting on Monday, Dec. 28, to take up a series of resolutions prompted by the Nov. 9 campus confrontation between police and Occupy Cal protesters.

Chancellor: ‘I sincerely apologize’ | Tuesday 11/22
En route to Thanksgiving back East with his family, Chancellor Robert Birgeneau recorded an audio message to the UC Berkeley community apologizing for the events of Nov. 9, and taking full responsibility.

After a sleepout on Sproul, a quiet morning, sprinkled with tents | Tuesday 11/22
Occupy Cal protesters established a small encampment on Sproul Plaza after dark Monday, with up to 150 students and others spending the night in sleeping bags and a handful in tents. A half-dozen tents were left standing on Tuesday morning.

Tents removed from Sproul Plaza; two arrested in peaceful sweep | Thursday 11/17
An Occupy Cal encampment of 20 tents was dismantled at 3:30 Thursday morning after UC Berkeley police gave dispersal orders. Two people who chose not to leave were arrested peacefully.

In Sacramento, students take a stand for the future of UC | Wednesday 11/16
A busload of UC Berkeley students rallied in Sacramento on Wednesday, telling legislators “no” to continued funding cuts to public education, “yes” to structural changes needed to increase available state funds.

Tents return to a calm Sproul Plaza | Wednesday 11/16
The mood was calm Wednesday morning at Sproul Plaza, as about 100 students gathered around more than a dozen tents to talk, work and listen to music.

From Savio Steps, Reich applauds ‘moral outrage’ as thousands cheer with video | Tuesday 11/15
Capping another long day of demonstrations, Robert Reich addressed a cheering crowd of thousands on Sproul Plaza Tuesday night.

Students mobilizing for Wednesday press conference in Sacramento | Tuesday 11/15
ASUC leaders are rallying students to ride buses to Sacramento Wednesday morning for a press conference and lobbying efforts at the state Capitol.

Chancellor invites political leaders to campus dialog on public higher education | Tuesday 11/15
Chancellor Birgeneau’s letter calls on the leadership in Sacramento to engage in a public forum with Berkeley students and campus leaders.

Chancellor’s message regarding Nov. 9 events on campus | Monday 11/14
Chancellor Birgeneau calls on the Police Review Board to review police actions on Nov. 9 and 10, and announces an amnesty from Student Conduct Code charges for those arrested for blocking police attempts to clear the Occupy Cal encampment.

Message from Graduate Dean Andrew Szeri | Monday 11/14
On the eve of the general strike, Dean Szeri urges Berkeley graduate students to maintain their intellectual rigor and conduct themselves “in ways that enable dialogue and debate without fracturing the community of which we are all part.”

UC Board of Regents meeting postponed | Monday 11/14
Citing UC police intelligence about “rogue elements intent on violence and confrontation,” UC leaders announced they were postponing the regents meting, scheduled for Nov. 16-17 at UCSF, until another time and possibly another location.

Campus officials laud peaceful protest, stand by ‘no encampments’ policy | Thursday 11/10
Toward the end of a day that was marked by calm in the wake of Wednesday’s campus protests, Chancellor Robert Birgeneau and two other campus leaders issued a message praising organizers and speakers “for setting an example of peaceful protest and mobilization,” while calling again for protesters to comply with the university’s “no encampments” policy.

Wednesday’s Day of Action ends with 39 arrests | Thursday 11/10
A day after 39 people, most of them students, were arrested during a Day of Action for Public Education, dozens of students gathered again Thursday on Sproul Plaza, some in teach-outs led by graduate student instructors.

Day of Action rally, protests, teach-ins underway at UC Berkeley | Wednesday 11/9
By mid-evening, seven protesters had been arrested during a Day of Action that began with multiple teach-outs and included a noontime rally at Sproul Plaza.

Sproul rally urges support for Oakland general strike | Wednesday 11/2
A group of about 150 people rallied at Sproul Plaza before joining Occupy Oakland’s Nov. 2 general strike.