UC Santa Cruz Campus spokesman Jim Burns said earlier today that Student Judicial Affairs is not currently pressing charges against the participants of Hahn Student Services’ recent occupation.
“Is occupying the building a violation of the student code of conduct? Yes,” Burns said. “Is disciplinary action for this particular incident likely? It’s not on our agenda right now.”
Burns noted that Judicial Affairs has a “tendency” to review and judge such incidents “on their own merits.” Mentioning the occupation of Kerr Hall in 2009, he contrasted the condition of both buildings after protestors left.
“Kerr Hall was a mess and very costly to reopen,” Burns said, “and obviously the condition of that building played a role in the sanctions inflicted.”
He recounted seeing protestors cleaning the building and making sure no damage had been inflicted, which he said the staff, maintenance workers and students were very relieved to see.
Pressing charges against future violations of the student code of conduct was absolutely possible, said Burns, but Hahn is not likely to be pursued as an offense in and of itself.
