Campus Announces Post-Pepper Spray Reforms

By UC Davis News Service

UC Davis today announced a series of actions and reforms — newly proposed steps as well as efforts already under way — to improve and enhance campus protest management policies and practices, police operations, and administrative coordination and communication.

The action steps represent the university’s preliminary response to input and recommendations from a task force appointed by UC President Mark Yudof to investigate the Nov. 18 pepper spraying of students on campus. The steps, all developed in collaboration with campus stakeholders, are available here. 

The task force inquiry, requested by UC Davis Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi, was led by UC Davis law professor and former California Supreme Court Associate Justice Cruz Reynoso.

The action steps are a product of extensive review of the task force's insights and recommendations, as well as initial discussions with various campus stakeholder groups.

Two steps that are already under way include a thorough review of campus police operations and policy, and creation of a new Campus Community Council, with broad student, academic, staff, emeriti, alumni, community and administrative representatives. The council will serve as a key venue for communication between leadership and campus constituencies on strategic issues facing the campus and the campus community.

The campus’s plans will be revised and enhanced in coming weeks. Feedback can be provided online at reviews@ucdavis.edu.

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