Reactions to Post Superbowl Expulsions

New England Patriots 17 -  New York Giants 21
Soon after the Patriots second straight super bowl loss to the Giants, students from the University of Massachusetts flooded into the school’s South West Residence Area to demonstrate their discontent.

Giants fans were sprinkled throughout the crowd, and the antics of the crowd soon grew destructive. Video evidence from the scene depicts fights, disorderly conduct, and destructive behavior.

Police officers moved in soon after the mass of students formed, and 13 people were arrested.

The initial arrests were not the end of the legal action against students. Just days after the incident, the University of Massachusetts Police Department released photos of student ‘trouble makers’ who were identified from numerous videos of the incident.

“They were really looking for people that were doing something. Not just people who were standing there and were unlucky enough to be caught on video,” said Student Government Association Speaker Jared Rose.

Identified students faced punishments including either expulsion or suspension. According to Ed Blaguszewski of the Office of News and Media relations at UMass, these consequences were determined almost immediately.

SGA Attorney General Kyle Howard questioned whether the University should be pursuing these individuals for an event that has already passed.

“The time for arrests has passed in my opinion,” said Howard. “It would be unfortunate for them to start identifying people out of the blue.”

Furthermore, he stressed that those who were arrested were given the right to due process.

“They will sometimes take a police report as indisputable fact,” said Howard. “It is really important that both sides get their facts heard,” which would prevent students from wrongful punishment for a situation that he sees as no body’s fault.

Raucous gatherings are not a new concept for UMass, instances like the previous World Series championship wins and last years death of Osama Bin Laden have resulted in these uproars.

Both student leaders and administration alike are trying to shed the image that these commotions bring.

“People think [rioting] is part of the UMass experience,” said Blaguszewski. “Ultimately I think it’s foolish.”

And it would seem the SGA agrees with him as well because the Monday meeting after the gathering featured a recess, or an uncharacteristic break from formality in which students were able to voice opinions on the issue in an open setting.

Looking back, there are some students that agree that the gathering after the Superbowl was not necessairily harmful.

However, some students pointed to the coverage given to the incident by CNN and Good Morning America, and the Boston Globe and decided this was not the type of image that they wanted to be associated with UMass.

Furthermore, Rose explained that UMass was the only university with a documented violent response to the Patriots loss.

“It’s unfortunate that the local media and national media portray it [negatively],” said Howard. “They never focus on what we are doing that is good.”

At a meeting between Rose, SGA president Yevin Roh, Howard, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Campus Life Jean Kim, and Dean Enku Gelaye concerning the demonstration, the leaders tried to forge a new way forward.

“They really want students to own this, to push back and say this is not ok,” said Rose. “If we are the problem, we have to be the cure too.”

Not only are events like these embarrassing for the administration, they are potentially damaging to the reputation and respect given to a student holding a degree from UMass.

“The reality is that this hurts us, the students because we are the ones with degree’s. When we go and graduate, that is the first thing our employer thinks about, that he saw this on the news,” said Rose. “That is really bad.”

While the ramifications of this post super bowl gathering are coming to a head, the reaction of both students and administration has pointed towards a mutual understanding of what is an appropriate reaction when situations like this arise again.

Reactions to Post Superbowl Expulsions