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Rowland Urges Strong Punishment In UConn Rioting; Damage Estimates

By Nicole Schiavi

Associated Press

HARTFORD -- Officials at the University of Connecticut said they will spend

the next few days deciding what they will do about future spring weekends, the

students arrested during this past one, and estimating the damage to school

property.

Chancellor Mark Emmert said if any students were charged with violent crimes

and are found guilty, they could face expulsion. Disciplinary hearings could

begin this week. Criminal proceedings begin May 5 with court arraignments.

"We spent a lot of time asking ourselves what we could have done in

retrospect," Emmert said. "We feel that our plans were sound, but to our

surprise and great disappointment, it didn't work out like that."

Gov John G. Rowland on Monday urged the University of Connecticut to punish

weekend rioters "to the fullest extent possible" as property damage estimates

rose to at least $50,000.

The university put the number of people arrested at 87, at least 35 of whom

were UConn students. The school said that any students charged with more

serious charges, like inciting a riot, could face expulsion.

Gov Rowland said the spring weekend disturbances had damaged the reputation of

Connecticut's flagship university.

"I don't like to meddle in their affairs too often ... but I do hope they will

take and punish these students to the fullest extent possible. We need to send

a message," Gov Rowland said.

Additional damage reports came in Monday as the university sought to measure

the toll from the weekend's events at the UConn campus in Storrs, which has

about 11,000 undergraduates.

On campus, windows were broken in at least seven buildings. Fire alarms were

also smashed in two dorms, and signs were knocked down. Estimate for campus

damage was $20,000. State police estimated $30,000 in damage to their

vehicles.

Police said that between Thursday and Sunday, 66 people were arrested on

charges, including inciting to riot, assault on a police officer and breach of

peace. Inciting to riot and assault on an officer carry sentences of up to

five years in prison. Dozens of tickets were also issued for liquor and motor

vehicle violations.

UConn President Philip Austin has not commented yet on the weekend violence.

Calls to his office were referred to the chancellor.

The state senator who represents Storrs described the violence and vandalism

as a disgrace and said students involved should be expelled. Sen Edith G.

Prague, D-Columbia, warned that she would challenge the university's

$136-million budget request this week if university administrators cannot show

that they "have control" of the campus.

"This university takes a great big chunk of the taxpayers' money, and nobody

minds that if you're going to educate kids, but when you allow such behavior

on your campus, it is such a disgrace that I and others resent giving them

taxpayer dollars," Prague said.

State police spent more than $100,000 on manpower trying to stem the violence,

Col. John Bardelli said. About 100 troopers, campus and Mansfield police

worked both Friday and Saturday nights. On Friday night, 22 state police

cruisers had broken windshields, slashed tires and dents. On Saturday, some

UConn police vehicles were also damaged.

Because of troubles in recent years at spring weekend, UConn officials had

hoped to control this year's festivities by offering events on campus and

serving beer to students 21 and older in the football field. Last year, an

off-campus party resulted in a reported rape, dozens of arrests, an injured

state police officer, bonfires and a damaged fire truck.

But this year, after drawing small crowds and after hearing of wild behavior

at an off-campus party Friday, the school canceled all university-sponsored

events Saturday.

"It's unfortunate a small minority of people, a small group of students, have

wreaked this kind of havoc, not only on the university, but on the state," Gov

Rowland said.

"I know the vast majority of students were not engaged in any of that

activity, but it reflects upon the entire university system," he said.