By Michael Naughton and Sarah Metcalf
Pictures of rioting fans and out-of-control fanaticism on the Public Safety Division’s Web site have led the Northeastern Police to look into about 15 people named through e-mails and phone calls.
“We’ve had an enormous response to the invitation we put out to have people identify those responsible for property damage,” said Associate Director of Public Safety James Ferrier.
The Public Safety Division hopes in viewing the two-dozen photographs of incidents of vandalism that occurred during the Super Bowl riots, students will recognize their peers and come forward with the names of those responsible for the destruction.
“We are proud of the responses we are getting, not only from students, but also from some alumni and others who have heard about [the pictures] through the public media over the weekend, and some people with no connection to NU other than that they had seen someone they knew from their high school or hometown,” Ferrier said.
After receiving information through e-mail or phone calls, the Public Safety Division investigates each lead to confirm that the information they received is correct before the student is referred to the Office of Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution (OSCCR) or charges are filed.
Students who may have otherwise escaped punishment-free from the debacle may now be identified and face appropriate consequences from OSCCR.
Any student who is identified as taking part in the property damage will be separated from the university, OSCCR Director William Fischer said. Separation may include anything from suspension to expulsion.
“We’re going to take [the community] back and work to make NU the peaceful, surrounding community it is,” Fischer said.
Student Government Association President Michael Romano said he feels working to “spark change and build improvement” after the riots is only the beginning.
“It’s really easy for people and students to get discouraged,” Romano said. “Part of the process of making small steps is asking tough questions and providing a venue to do so, but students need to step forward.”
In addition to contributing to the identification of vandals, students are also being given the opportunity to express their feelings about the incidents that occurred following the Patriots’ Super Bowl victory in the art gallery of the student center. Students who enter the gallery walk by over a dozen photos of the riots, accompanied by clippings from local newspapers and index cards meant for students’ reactions and thoughts. The index cards are then posted on the walls around the room.
“People who come out of [the gallery] seem to be moved,” said Brooke Tempesta, the associate director of student activities. “The goal is to get [students] to question why it happened and to take steps to rebuild the community, as well as to make something positive out of a negative.”
With Northeastern students and faculty still coping with the aftermath of the incidents, Ferrier said the steps taken by university officials will not only bring justice to students who committed illegal acts, but will also eventually lead to a stronger sense of community and the prevention of events such as this from happening again.
“I think there are two effects. The short-term effect is to hold people who committed destructive acts responsible for their actions,” he said. “The long-term effect … is getting involved in the whole issue of working as a community to develop some dialogue so this kind of event will never happen again in our community.”
