Protests Damper Picnic Day Festivities at Uc Davis

SHAMS JOINS US LIVE FROM U.C. DAVIS WITH WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY. SHAROKINA: ONE SET OF STUDENTS IS BUSY GETTING READY FOR PICNIC DAY TOMORROW, WHILE IS PROTESTING. THEIR PLANS WERE. >> WE ARE UNDER ATTACK. CHANTED IN THE U.C. DAVIS QUAD AFTER MARCHING ON CAMPUS MOVING FROM BUILDING TO BUILDING. THEY LEFT CHANCELLOR LINDA KATEHI'S OFFICE TODAY AFTER OCCUPYING IT FOR MORE THAN A MONT >> STUDENTS ARE ON-EDGE. I THINK WE'RE ON THE BRINK OF ANOTHER MASSIVE DISRUPTION. SHAROKINA: PROTESTERS PROMISED TO ESCALATE THEIR ACTIONS AGAINST THE UNIVERSITY BUT WOULDN'T OFFER SPECIFICS. >> I BELIEVE IN HOLDING OUR CHANCELLOR ACCOUNTABLE, A CHANCELLOR WHO CHOOSES TO BE THE FACE OF THE UNIVERSITY. CRITICISM OF IS THE SAME ONE PROMPTING ONE LAWMAKER AFTER THE NEXT TO DEMAND THAT KATEHI RESIGN, THE REVELATION THAT THE UNIVERSITY PAID A REPUTATION MANAGEMENT FIRM TO WEAKEN THE IMPACT OF THIS 2011 STORY ONLINE. THAT WAS WHEN UNIVERSITY POLICE PEPPER-SPRAYED STUDENTS DURING A PROTEST OVER TUITION HIKES. REPUTATION MANAGEMENT FIRMS ARE PAID TO FLOOD THE INTERNET WITH POSITIVE STORIES, MINIMIZING THE PROMINENCE OF NEGATIVE ONE PROTESTERS GOT SOME SUPPORT FACULTY. >> I THINK THAT THE CHANCELLOR OF A PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SHOULD BE CHARGED WITH GIVING THE STUDENTS WHAT THEY NEED, NOT WHAT FACULTY DEMAND. I BELIEVE THAT CHANCELLOR KATEHI IS ETHICALLY DAMAGED SHAROKINA: MEANWHILE, THE CHAIR OF PICNIC DAY IS BUSY PLANNING FOR THE BIG CELEBRATION. SET-UP WAS BEING DONE TODAY AND THE CHANCELLOR IS EXPECTED TO SPEAK TOMORROW. >> IF THEY DO CHOOSE TO PROTEST, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE WILL WORK AROUND AND AS A STUDENT-RUN EVENT, WE ARE TOTALLY UNDERSTANDING OF THAT. SHAROKINA: THE DEMANDS FOR HER RESIGNATION BEGAN WEEKS AGO WHEN WE LEARNED SHE HAD TAKEN PAID POSITIONS. WE KNOW SHE IS SCHEDULED TOMORROW TO ADDRESS STUDENTS TO AND PARADE BEFORE PICNIC DAY STARTS. THE UNIVERSITY, IN A WRITTEN STATEMENT, HAS DEFENDED ITS ATTEMPTS TO MINIMIZE THE INCIDENT.