By
Kevin Clerici
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Dean of Students office investigating student involvement in 4th Ave. riot
University President Peter Likins called individuals involved with Monday's riots "thugs" and "sick individuals." He has contributed $1,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of persons who overturned cars and a motor home and set fires on North Fourth Avenue.
"We are determined to identify and hold accountable any students engaged in acts of violence on Fourth Avenue and will do everything within our power to do so," Likins said in a letter, which can be found in its entirety on page 4.
The administration currently has no jurisdiction against students who are arrested for crimes off campus unless they involve the sale or distribution of illegal drugs or controlled substances, or violence which may present a danger to the safety of the university community, according to the University Student Code of Conduct.
However, in response to the community and Likins' letter, the Dean of Students Office may try to amend the code so its reach will extend to such behavior if it arises again.
Until then, the deans say the current code allows them some discretion, said dean Melissa Vito, who met with legal counsel yesterday.
"There is a possibility that if we found a particular student was involved in a particularly dangerous activity that the code allows for repercussions," she said.
Possible consequences include suspension or expulsion, Vito said.
"If there was a student who clearly threw a torch at the Winnebago then something so blatant would give us a stronger case as behavior that could have an effect on the university community."
The Dean of Students office has been researching what other universities have written in their codes.
Michigan State University revised its student code of conduct in December as a result of riots following the MSU basketball team being eliminated from the 1997 Final Four.
On that night, 10,000 people flooded city streets in East Lansing, Mich. causing an estimated $250,000 in damage.
"Right now, we are gathering information on what happened," Associate Dean Veda Hunn said. "We need to investigate."
Hunn said the investigation may involve interviewing witnesses and viewing of any available videotapes.
Seven current university students were arrested by Tucson Police in the Fourth Avenue area Monday in connection with the post-game celebrations on charges ranging from unlawful assembly, to injuring city property, to assault.
"But that doesn't mean there are only seven individuals who we saw in the video tapes of the burning cars," Hunn said.
Vito said there has been no university action taken against those students.
They are Aytan Dahukey, 21; David A. Deluca, 23; Steven C. Eddy, 20; Yann Gavillot, 20; Sean D. McMillan, 21; Andrew C. Reed, 23; and Brian M. Welliver, 22.
Two other individuals arrested - Gilbert Gilmore, 27, and Walter Walema, 27 - were last enrolled at the UA in the fall. James Vincent, 24, last attended UA in fall 1999.
Tucson Police arrested a total of 17 persons on the night but none are currently in jail.
The difficulty of the investigation, Vito said, is that the administration must discern whether there were violent acts sufficient to conclude that the individuals' conduct presents a danger to the safety of the university community. Otherwise, the code doesn't apply.
In his first public response to the riots, Likins displayed his personal frustration.
"I am very angry," he said. "Our team, the coaches and most in our community accepted the outcome of the championship game with class.
"The thugs who burned cars and put people's lives in danger had no interest in the outcome of this game," he said. "They were prepared to seize the opportunity for mindless violence no matter who won in Minneapolis."
Students are encouraged to share their concerns and reactions with the Dean of Students Office. It can be reached at voice@u.arizona.edu.
Anyone with information about Monday's riot should call 88-CRIME.
