U.C.M.J.: UC Davis to shut down after ‘dissatisfaction with student body’

UC Davis students and staff were upset over the lack of progress made on student government reform.

The University of California, Davis (UC Davis), on Wednesday will announce a plan to suspend classes and institute mandatory class work, The Daily Californian reported.

UC Davis announced in August that it will close its campus on Jan. 4 amid mounting concerns over student protests that erupted after President Janet Napolitano called the university’s President Teresa Sullivan and said that UC Davis would be forced to fire her after her department had refused to allow students to boycott a campus-wide demonstration.

More than 150 students have been arrested and nearly 30 have been injured in the protests.

In a letter sent to Sullivan, Napolitino said the university is currently “in crisis” and that she will take “action as needed.”

“I have directed that all members of the UC Davis community be directed to remain home,” the letter stated.

“As a result, UC Davis will cease operations for the remainder of the semester and will implement mandatory classwork beginning on Monday, February 4.

I am also directing that all of the staff, faculty, and students of the University of Davis be ordered to be home from all duties until further notice.”

The suspension comes less than a month after Napolitani ordered UC Davis chancellor Linda Katehi to shut her campus down as part of an investigation into the university and its student government.

Katehi’s order followed a report by the U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights that found that UCDavis failed to comply with federal rules governing student conduct.

On Wednesday, the UCD students and faculty group said in a statement that it is “not happy” with the decision to suspend class work.

“It was not the intent of this resolution to punish students, or to force the closure of the campus,” the statement read.

“The UC Davis administration has proven time and time again that it does not care about students, the university or its students, but only the profit and power of its wealthy donors.

We cannot afford to let them dictate how our university should function.”

UC Berkeley students will be able to return to classes on Monday.

For more on UC Davis, check out the UC Daily.