Students arrested during G-20 to be sent to Judicial Board

The University plans to send students who were arrested during G-20 demonstrations to its… The University plans to send students who were arrested during G-20 demonstrations to its Judicial Board.

Robert Hill, Pitt’s vice chancellor of public affairs, said he doesn’t know how many of the 152 or more people arrested in Oakland as a result of the G-20 demonstrations were Pitt students.

Pitt police Chief Tim Delaney said that the most common charges were failure to disperse, disorderly conduct and criminal mischief.

The Student Code of Conduct says the University can discipline students for things they do off campus if their conduct “violates … the rights of others, or the health, welfare and safety of members of the University community” or if their actions “reflect upon [their] character and fitness as a member of the student body.”

The University will contact students in writing of the dates, times and places of their Judicial Board hearings. The board has the power to suspend, expel or recommend community service for students.

Some students said they didn’t know where to go when asked to disperse.

But Hill said, “I’m sure that … when you reflect on everything that happened, you can reach the conclusion that things could have been done differently.”

He added, “I haven’t reached a conclusion about anything yet, except there was clearly disappointing behavior going on, and you had very orderly, peaceful protests. You had disrupting protests and onlookers.”

Police also arrested 24 people during daytime demonstrations Thursday, most in the Lawrenceville and Bloomfield areas.

But Hill said he didn’t know how many of them were Pitt students, either.

The Judicial Board is composted of undergraduate and graduate/professional Pitt students and various University faculty and staff members.